International Journal for Pastors February 2004 F I R GLANCE
/""% Justly integrating covenant, law, and sabbath The enduring relationship between the biblical covenant, law, and the seventh-day Sabbath Roy Cane
The covenants: a developmental approach The ongoing nature of the biblical covenants as the JjJ kingdom of God emerges Smuts van Rooyen
Ellen C. White: prophetic voice for the last dayS International AtJvisors:AJe|,mdroBulton,^hn An exposition of the Seventh-day Adventist belief in the "Spirit of Prophecy" and its manifestations in the ministry of Ellen G. White Alberto Timrn
Paul, law, and covenants A comprehensive overview of Paul©s understanding of the law in relation to the biblical covenant Hans LaRondelle Subscriptions:^ "|ISl?f .99; ; © The pre-Advent judgment: fact or fiction? (part 2) The final part of a fresh look at the Adventist doctrine of the investigative judgment Gerhard Pfandl t Secu*y numb Response to Dale Ratzlaff W.S; So* ,Seo««y Hwwtw), feml.etteW h«toi»• Pita,' Jjtw A statement and letter involving Dale Ratzlaff, who has published materials opposing Adventist positions on the law and the Sabbath Alden Thompson
Preaching with ERIC: four sermon essentials Four indispensable elements in good preaching Patrick Boyle
Mate
MINISTRY T T R
INTERESTINGLY, IT AS NOT UNTIL THE BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCH AT i©HESUS WERE BAPTIZED IN THE BAPTISM OF JESUS AND RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THE CHURCH BECAME A MISSIONARY CHURCH
robably Adly Campos ("Women in Johnsson demonstrates how those who ministry. Interestingly, it was not until the P Evangelism: The Church©s Buried "wield the pen" should do it in his believers in the church at Ephesus were Talent?" October 2003) isn©t old splendid article "Baptism: Gateway to baptized in the baptism of Jesus and enough to remember the great contri New Life." He rightfully affirms that received the Holy Spirit that the church bution women made to evangelism in "baptism is tied to the person and work became a missionary church. the 1930s and 1940s. I remember it of Jesus Christ," that baptism has "con What are the implications of this well. We probably would never have fessional significance," that baptism is model for the Chrisitan? Through His heard of J. L. Shuler, Fordyce Detamore, the "transition to new life as are these baptism Christ was initiated into the or the Venden brothers, had it not been biblical meanings of baptism," ministry which led Him to the cross and for women Bible instructors who made Johnsson, agrees, none of these mean resurrection. By seeking the baptism of them successful. Adly Campos quoted: ings applies directly to Jesus. So is there John, Jesus Himself interpreted His bap "They can do in families what men can more? tism as one of identification with not do, a work that reaches the inner The answer lies in a question that sinners, the initiation of redemptive life. They can come close to the heart of Paul addressed to twelve converts in action, and His consecration to His those whom men cannot reach. Their Ephesus. "What baptism were you vocation. labor is needed." This is from the chap given?" he asked (Acts 19:3, NEB). They Similarly, through the Christian©s ter in the book Evangelism entitled "The responded, "John©s baptism" (ibid.). baptism, Christ incorporates the believer Bible Instructor." Usually Bible instruc The record goes on to distinguish into His body and commissions him for tors were much better soul-winners between John©s baptism and Jesus© bap participation in His ministry. The out than the pastors. Our women young tism, the former being a baptism of pouring of the Spirit at Pentecost is the and old need to be given a vision of water and the latter a baptism of water counterpart of what happened to Jesus the great work Bible instructors can do, and the Spirit. While Brother Bill admits at His baptism. The same Spirit who and our conferences need to provide that "Christian baptism goes beyond remained in Jesus for Messianic ministry budgets for hiring them. that of John," he limits the discussion of has, ever since Pentecost, dwelt in the Wayne A. Martin, Inman, South Carolina. baptism to the "new life" in Christ and church, which is the body of Christ on thus neglects to highlight an important the earth since the resurrection. Baptism thoroughly enjoyed Ron Gladden©s distinction: that if Christ©s baptism is the proclaims that as the Christian has been ( article "Paradigm Shifts in Evangelism prototype of Christian baptism, the called out of this world, so he returns to Today" (October 2003). He points out baptism of water and the baptism of the world as its servant. Sadly, for most, the ineffectiveness of traditional evan the Spirit belong together. baptism does not play this decisive role. gelism and our need to go further afield Clearly John©s baptism is inadequate Is this devaluation the result of separat in our evangelistic approaches. as is evident from the experience of ing the baptism of water and the bap Please urge Ron to write a Part 2 on Apollo, who "knew only John©s baptism" tism of the Spirit? how to go, on alternate methods. What (Acts 18:25, NEB). The real meaning of My conviction is that only the recov is working for others now in Athens? Jesus© baptism, marked by the descent of ery of the full meaning of baptism can Ron Wearner, Wiliamina, Oregon. the Spirit, was that He thereby received save from irrelevance our talk about the His ordination to the ministry (Matt. ministry of all believers. W larity is the supreme politeness" for 3:13-17; John 1:29-34). His baptism Rex Edwards, Criggs University, Silver c him who writes, and Dr. William G. marked the beginning of His Galiean Spring, Maryland.
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February 2004 MINISTRY EDITORIAL ARTICLE
Covenants: From shadow to 3-D
ost of us have had the experi or what, if anything, ends with the old, ence of repeatedly wrestling so that it is no longer obligatory under M with the biblical covenant the new?" theme and still being left with an itch Because of the fear of losing the sev that recurrently rouses our need to enth-day Sabbath, and indeed the moral scratch for further clarity and a deeper imperatives resident in the Ten understanding of this great theme. Commandments, Seventh-day Adven The issue of biblical covenants is tists have been afraid to admit that any important for many reasons, not the thing but the "ceremonial law" ended least of which is the foundational and when Jesus came (some have even had pervasive presence of the covenants trouble granting the end of the ceremo throughout the Bible and the fact that nial system in Christ). This has led some struggles to understand this theme Adventists to rather half-heartedly have pervaded the history of the according to the biblical record, the embrace the magnificent understandings Christian church from its earliest years. seventh-day Sabbath existed before and the enriched experience that were There still seems to be a significant there was sin, a Hebrew nation, a for introduced with the coming of the Jesus. haze resting on the theological land malized covenant of any kind, or a We Adventists must not be afraid of scape of Adventist covenant theology, formal expression of law, ceremonial or saying that there was an end to some and thus upon our personal faith experi moral. thing when Jesus came, along with the ence in these things. Their stand is also problematic beginning of something else, and that Near the heart of our Adventist because, despite the fact that the Moral there was not only that which continued covenant concerns is the supposed Law was indeed climactically expressed with the coming of the Messiah, but threat that some believe covenant the in Jesus Christ (see below), the Sabbath that which was terminated. But again, ology presents to the identity and itself was placed by God©s own person what continues and what terminates? reason for existence of the Seventh-day al initiative in the heart of the other nine As is so often the case, the thrust of Adventist movement. moral principles that seem to get little the way such a far-reaching question is In the last few years a number of ex- attention when these issues are dis worded (at least the way in which 1 Adventist ministers have raised this issue cussed in the context of the new have chosen to word it) may not be ulti again, but this time with a more explicit covenant. This divine design of the mately helpful and can lead to focus on Seventh-day Adventist posi Decalogue and God©s act of placing the confusing, labyrinthian answers, and tions such as the seventh-day Sabbath, fourth commandment in the company thus to the haziness we have acknowl that they believe should be jettisoned in of the other nine by all means implies edged when it comes to this question. the light of the new covenant. While the seventh day©s constitutional nature. The question should rather be posed their views of the biblical covenants are So if there is haziness in both tradi in terms of the actual descriptions given animated by theological stances tional Adventism, and in the theology in the New Testament of what impact opposed to the Adventist perspective, I of a significant number of evangelicals the Messianic arrival of Christ had on believe a similar haziness haunts their and other Christians, what is at the the covenant arrangements between outlook, even as it does the views of a heart of the confusion? When it comes God and His people. critical mass of evangelicals, particularly to this question, this article attempts to While the first coming of Christ by all those with dispensationalist leanings. look at the big picture. means precipitated serious conflict in The haziness of their approach to the the minds of first-century Christian Jews covenant question makes itself evident Framing the question when it came to covenant-related ques when to all intents and purposes, and productively tions like circumcision, feast days, sab even in the terms of their latest argu The center of the question as baths, unclean foods, and "sexual ments, the seventh-day Sabbath is Seventh-day Adventists have historically immorality" (Acts 15, etc.), the main separated out from the other nine com grappled with it may simply be worded New Testament concentration was obvi mandments of the Sinai covenant. This as follows: "What, if anything, continues ously upon the magnificently constitut presents major difficulties because, on from the old covenant into the new, ed covenantal terms and relationships
MINISTRY February 2004 that came into play in Christ under what nitely include the Ten Commandments the former system. Jesus© blood cleanses has come to be known as the new given on Sinai through Moses. (It is the conscience and etches the law on covenant. important to thoughtfully review our hearts through the indwelling Christ As the New Testament writers make Hebrews 12:18-24 to note this Sinai and and through the magnificent ministry of their momentous, epochal announce thus Moral Law connection.) the Holy Spirit (John 14-16). ment that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed With unsurpassable significance, the It is critical that Seventh-day the promised Messiah, they immedi opening verses of Hebrews announce Adventists fearlessly face passages such ately begin to wrestle with the that in "these last days," in contrast to as Hebrews 8:13-9:29, especially pas implications of that arrival. As we know, simply having spoken through prophets sages such as 8:7-13, which for example at the heart of those implications is the and the various other means just enu declares that "If there had been nothing fact that all that came before the merated, God has now spoken to us with wrong with that first covenant, no place Messianic arrival, through prophets, crowning ultimacy through His Son. would have been sought for another. sacrificial symbols, worship systems, or The emphasis in these verses and in But God found fault with the people and promises, pointed to the full maturity of the whole book of Hebrews is not so said: ©The time is coming, declares the the covenant that would come with the much upon what has been lost from the Lord, when I will make a new covenant arrival of the Messiah. The New past, but upon the obvious superiority of with the house of Israel . . .© By calling Testament declares that in Jesus of what has now been gained through the this covenant [the one ratified in the Nazareth, this maturity and fullness is perfect revelation of God in His Son, blood of Christ] ©new/ he has made the now present. Jesus Christ. Indeed, contrary to the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete In dealing with this announcement, imperfection of previous means of com and aging will soon disappear." the book of Hebrews is not only funda munication, the Son is declared to be It is when we insist that we ourselves mental but is the New Testament source "the radiance of God©s glory and the come face to face with the clear reading dealing with these issues. exact representation of his being" (verse of such seemingly threatening pas 3). This is clearly not something that sages, wrestling with them and the Hebrews and the big picture could be claimed even for the Ten related biblical testimony, that the Hebrews 1:1-4 summarizes the Commandments, despite the fact that meaning the inspired writer meant to essence of the theme of the book of they were written with God©s own finger. convey begins to emerge in a most Hebrews and its discussion of the The writer of Hebrews goes on to rewarding way. covenant shift from old to new show how inferior are angels, Moses, An important, but at first disquieting, covenant. It was written in an effort to the high priests of the first system, the concern is to understand that the Moral dissuade some Jewish Christians from blood of bulls and goats, and the whole Law is part and parcel of what was returning to aspects of their previous tabernacle/temple system, including the brought to full maturity with the arrival Jewish ways of faith and worship. climactic Day of Atonement. All this is of Jesus (not abolished in any way at all; At its heart, the theme of Hebrews is incomplete and monodimensional see below). The Sinaitic written expres encapsulated in the first four verses of when compared with what has been sion of the Moral Law is identified as the book. Thus it discusses the transition ushered in through Jesus Christ; Him to having had, in and of itself, a temporary, from the incompleteness of how things Whom it was all to "lead us" (Gal. 3:24) fading role to play, a role that had to once were to the maturity of how things anyway. give way to the full and ultimate expres now are, since the arrival of Jesus Christ This superiority and newness in sion that came with the fullness and as the expected Messiah. It exposes a Christ includes an infinitely more effec perfection of the Messiah Himself (see crucial move or development from tive and satisfying access that believers 2 Cor. 3:7-11). skeleton to living body, from framework now all have into the very presence of to completed structure, from shadow to God, by the "new and living way" Antinomianism? reality, from silhouette to 3-D, while (Heb. 10:19, 20) opened up for us by But the Adventist heart reflexively viewing that which has gone before as Christ into the heavenly sanctuary, ver cries out against such a suggestion. critical to the great, overarching, on sus the once-a-year access only the Many an Adventist would say, "This going, monolithic covenantal organism High Priest had under the first stage of sounds like the same old cheap antino- that finds its climactic expression in the the system (Heb. 10:19-25). The expe mianism we©ve resisted so forthrightly person and work of Jesus Christ. riential implications of this, which we for so long; a resistance that is at the Hebrews 1:1-4 also reviews how Cod cannot get into in detail here, are truly heart of our reason for existence!" spoke "in the past" through prophets, magnificent. Neither the book of Hebrews (see such as Moses, and in "various [other] All this has been introduced by the 12:22-27) nor such passages as Romans ways,"1 such as the sacrificial and sanc vastly superior blood of Jesus which has 7:7 and its context, or Galatians 4:21- tuary system and in what we now know now been shed, versus the inferior 25 (with their clear allusions to the as the old covenant, which would defi blood of the lambs, bulls, and goats of continued on page 36
February 2004 M. I N I S T R Y Phinehas) and King (Rev. 19:11-16; like David). Thus we see that cumulative phases of God©s unified everlasting covenant bring wave upon wave of gracious divine initiative throughout Old Testament times and on into the New Testament, where the comprehen sive culmination in the ultimate revelation and only truly effective sacrifice of Jesus Christ washes over the human race in a tidal wave of grace. Like the new covenant, the Old Testament covenants were based on grace rather than Justly integrating law. For example, only after God delivered Noah and his family did He formalize or rati fy a covenant with them, in the process of covenant, law, which He stated some stipulations or laws (Gen. 8:20-9:17). So the laws were for people who were and Sabbath1 already saved by grace, that is, by God©s own effective intervention (compare Exod. 19:3-6; 20:2). Ever since the Fall, the only way to sal vation has been by grace through faith (Eph. any Christians believe that 2:8) in the seed of Eve (Gen. 3:15), that is, Roy Gane when the Old Covenant of Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16). the Old Testament gave way Paul©s distinction between under law and to the New Covenant of the under grace in Romans 6:14, 15, has to do with New Testament, Old Cov states of persons who are under condemnation by Menant law became obsolete2 and therefore lit the law or freed from condemnation through eral Sabbath observance as it is actually Christ.9 This distinction is not between two dif expressed in the fourth commandment is no ferent dispensations. 10 Both of these states longer relevant. could characterize people within the Old This approach has been adopted by a Testament or New Testament eras. broad spectrum of Christians, from those who Yet, according to Paul, Christ has eclipsed hold that Christians are not bound to keep the Mosaic Torah in the sense that He is a any particular day3 to those who slide aspects more glorious, effective, complete, and ade of the Old Testament Sabbath over to Sunday quate revelation of God©s character (2 Cor. 3). to make it "Christian."4 Christ did not replace God©s holy, righteous, What does a balanced look at relevant bib good, and spiritual law (Rom. 7:12, 14) as a lical passages reveal about this often means of salvation from sin because God has controversial topic?5 never offered salvation on the basis of law."
Waves of grace Enduring principles Standing back from Scripture and viewing Both within the Bible and elsewhere in the big picture, one sees that the divine ancient Near Eastern covenants and treaties, covenants are unified and function as phases of law operates within the framework of development in God©s overall plan.6 Each is a covenant.12 If we accept God as the authority part of a single, unified program of revelation. behind the whole Bible (e.g., 2 Tim. 3:15-17) Hoy Gane, Ph.D., is The enactment or primacy of one does not nul and recognize that His covenants are cumula associate professor of lify or subordinate another. None of these tive, it©s clear that laws given in connection Hebrew Bible and covenants replaces the one before it; instead, with the Old Testament covenant phases Ancient Near-Eastern Languages, Adventist each supplements what has come before.7 should in some way inform our conduct. Theological Seminary, In the new covenant prophesied in Some biblical laws, such as the Ten Andrews University, Jeremiah 31, all of God©s covenant purposes Commandments and many of the civil laws Berrien Springs, preservation, promise, and law climax in (such as Deuteronomy 22:8 protecting peo Michigan. Jesus Christ,8 who is Priest (Heb. 7-10; like ple from falling off your flat roof), can be
MINISTRY February 2004 applied today in a straightforward or Moo, who says "we are bound only to With regard to Christians who fairly straightforward manner, except that which is clearly repeated within (unlike himself) believe "that the that church discipline replaces the New Testament teaching."16 place of the Sabbath requirement in civil penalties administered under the the Decalogue means that it is to be ancient Israelite judicial system. Four aspects of Sabbath seen as a binding moral law norma Many laws are applicable in principle Categories such as moral, health, tive for all people in the same way as even when the culturally dependent civil, and ceremonial laws, which the rest of the Decalogue," A. T. specifics do not apply (e.g. Exod. imply the extent to which a given law Eincoln pointedly remarks: 21:33, 34).13 remains applicable, are postbiblical "Those who argue in this way but Some biblical laws we cannot keep analytical classifications, and a law apply the fourth commandment to if we no longer have the social insti may fit in more than one of these cat Sunday, the first day of the week, are tutions they regulated, such as levirate egories. Nothing in the biblical text certainly not as consistent as those marriage (Deut. 25:5-10). The ritual explicitly places the Sabbath laws in groups, such as the Seventh-Day laws, dependent and centered upon one category or another, and we must Adventists, who still observe the sev the function of the earthly sanctuary allow for the possibility that they enth day; they need to face this and the temple as the dwelling place belong to more than one category. In inconsistency squarely. On their own of God, no longer apply because that fact, various laws involving Sabbath presuppositions, by what right do institution is gone. can be viewed as pertaining to all four: they tamper with an eternally valid Since the ascension of Christ, our 1. Moral. In Exodus 20:8-11 and moral law? What criterion allows worship has been focused toward Deuteronomy 5:12-15, God com them to isolate the seventh day God©s sanctuary in heaven (Heb. mands cessation from work on the aspect, which after all is at the heart 8-10). However, we can greatly seventh-day Sabbath within the con of the commandment and its ration enrich our comprehension of God©s text of His Ten Commandments. The ale (cf. Exod. 20:11), as a temporary relationship to human beings other nine commandments are clearly feature belonging only to the Mosaic through study of the Old Testament moral in nature, and there is no com period, while retaining the remainder ritual laws as they relate to the pelling reason to single out Sabbath of the Decalogue as normative for all Hebrew sanctuary.14 rest as essentially ceremonial.17 ages. ... If the Mosaic law were Although circumcision was a ritual law (Gen. 17), itpre-dated the sanctu Changing the the UJorid... ary or temple system and was not dependent on it. So loss of the temple in the first century A.D. does not remove the possibility that circumci sion could be an ongoing require Seventh-day Rdventist Theological Seminary « flndretus University ment. Cessation of this requirement is based on another principle: (ko©hort) a gathering; a band of soldiers; Membership in the "new covenant" associates, colleagues, or supporters; fellow phase no longer requires membership travelers; friends; a group of professionals in in ethnic Israel (Acts 15). the Rndreuis Doctor of Ministry program. Is there a single criterion that can be used to determine whether a law should or should not be kept today? I propose the following rule of thumb: A biblical law should be kept to the Leadership extent that its principle can be applied Pastoral Ministry - Spanish unless the New Testament removes the Voufch Ministry reason for its application. Thus I basically agree with Gordon 9 NS1! IN - Preaching Wenham when he concluded that "the principles underlying the Old Call about these or other cohorts Testament are valid and authoritative for the Christian, but the particular applications found in the Old Testament may not be.©" 5 My uuujuj.doctorofministry.com approach reverses that of Douglas [email protected]
February 2004 MINISTRY kids will learn! BiBie Jesus brings hope BiBte story: 3 Jesus is born "Bl Treasure verse: "I will put my hope in God" (Psalm 42:5) oay 2 rait % Jesus follows God©s Word BiBte story-. Jesus resists temptation Treasure verse: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psairn 119:11}
BiBLC POiNt: Jesus gives us courage Bfsie story: Jesus sends out the 12 disciples. Treasure verse: "For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need" (Philippians 4:13) erne oay Jesus saves us BiBie story.- t Jesus dies and rises again «* Treasure verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16) I ays home at Lava BiBie Jesus gives us a reason to celebrate BiBie story.- Jesus ascends to heaven how Treasure verse-. love flows1- " Hornet "...I am going to prepare a piace for you" (John 14:2) designed to teach the principle of one the refreshing cessation from work for denly become available for Christians; day©s rest in seven instead of seventh- the benefit of all human beings (Gen. it was available all along and was not day rest, it might be expected that its 2:2, 3; compare Exod. 31:17).21 Jesus fully appropriated in Old Testament legislation would have provided for a confirmed this when He said that the times only because of unbelief. 30 different day of rest for the priests (cf. Sabbath was made for humankind Because it was available at the same Num. 28:9-10), but it does not."18 (anthroposY7- and not humankind for time the weekly Sabbath was in opera 2. Health. In Exodus 23:12, the the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). tion for the Israelites, the weekly benefit of Sabbath rest must include a The seventh-day Sabbath is the Sabbath cannot merely be a historical physical component because it is for "birthday of the world," which cannot type of the life of rest.31 animals as well as human beings. be changed because it celebrates a his Colossians 2:16, 17 reads: "There 3. Civil. Under the Israelite theoc torical event that occurred at a point fore do not let anyone condemn you racy, a man who flagrantly violated of time in the past,23 long before the in matters of food and drink or of the Sabbath by gathering firewood on nation of Israel existed.24 Thus nothing observing festivals, new moons, or this day was stoned to death by the that human beings do or do not do sabbaths. These are only a shadow of community at God©s command can affect the holiness of the Sabbath what is to come, but the substance (Num. 15:32-36). itself.25 Sabbath also signifies depend belongs to Christ" (NRSV). 4. Ceremonial. At the ancient ence upon the One who created and In verse 17, "shadow" (skid) has Israelite sanctuary, special rituals per sanctifies people (Exod. 31:13, 17), been taken to mean "temporary formed on the Sabbath quite under and who keeps all human beings alive type." So interpreters have commonly standably honored its holiness (Lev. (Dan. 5:23; Job 12:10; Ps. 114:14, 15; supposed that the "sabbaths" men 24:8; Num. 28:9, 10). 145:15, 16). Because God will always tioned in verse 16 functioned as tem We have found that Sabbath is be our Creator and Sustainer, the basic porary types.32 However, at issue here involved with laws belonging to all meaning of seventh-day Sabbath rest, is the problem that in spite of Christ©s four categories. The moral and health which encapsulates this divine- victory and removal of condemnation roles of Sabbath rest are timeless and human relationship,26 cannot become against sinners through the cross (cf. remain even when civil penalties and obsolete as long as human beings verses 13-15), some early Christians ceremonial performances pass away.19 inhabit planet Earth. were prone to judge others (cf. Rom. So it appears that ceasing from work "Neither antinomianism nor dis- 14:3) for not engaging in ascetic prac on the seventh-day Sabbath should be pensationalism may remove the obli tices, which involved matters of diet kept to the extent that its principle can be gation of the Christian today to and observance of holy times, in applied. We will test this provisional observe the creation ordinance of the accordance with their philosophy. conclusion by considering some Sabbath. The absence of any explicit Whatever the precise meaning of potential objections. command concerning Sabbath- sabbaton, "S/sabbath(s)" in Colossians Objection 1: Seventh-day Sabbath observance prior to Moses does not 2:16, may be, it seems clear that Paul observance was commanded only for lit relegate the Sabbath principle to was not addressing straightforward eral Israelites. temporary legislation of the law- observance of Mosaic Torah, but its There is no explicit biblical record epoch. . . . God blessed man through misuse within the framework of a that the requirement for Sabbath the Sabbath by delivering him from misguided philosophy. observance was expressly formulated as slavery to work."27 At Colossae, however, the sacred a law before God commanded the Objection 2: Literal seventh-day days were to be kept for the sake of the Israelites to honor it (Exod. 16; 20). Sabbath observance is no longer relevant "elemental spirits of the universe," But who says that a divinely man because it was a temporary type/symbol those astral powers who directed the dated duty does not exist until/unless of Christian "rest." course of the stars and regulated the God commands it in the form of a Some see support for this approach order of the calendar. law?20 If this were true, why would in Hebrews 4, where Sabbath rest sym So Paul is not condemning the use God have held Cain accountable for bolizes a life of gospel rest, involving of sacred days or seasons as such; it is murdering his brother (Gen. 4)? all days of the week, which results the wrong motive involved he dis In the early chapters of Genesis, from believing in God.28 However, a courages, when the observance of where Sabbath is first mentioned (see historical/horizontal type like the these days is bound up with the below), God was concerned with set Israelite sacrificial system prefigures recognition of the elemental spirits.33 ting up the ideal order of relationships something in the future, which con Besides, the literal seventh-day rather than commanding protection stitutes its antitype. Sabbath enjoined in the fourth com of existing relationships. When the antitype commences, mandment cannot be a temporary On the seventh day of the Creation the type becomes obsolete. 29 In type because God instituted it before week, God by His example, instituted Hebrews 4, God©s "rest" has not sud the Fall (Gen. 2:2, 3). Thus, it was not
February 2004 MINISTRY p\i
"A timely volmm: [that] ••'straggly affiryis the ofijjt sanctum ry a vahijjtle resoui :e r ' •'• .••;•••:" .•:;--..'.a§Hte'7^wnurcn • / .'members ..•:'.w».ii;;/- aim,/•/' » —Gerllrd Pfandl, Phi).,
"'' ^i-.iWi-w?: 'i'-v-.Xssoc-iatE8— Direcpr,;t Biblical Research Institite
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PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE one of the temporary post-lapsarian is Lord even of the Sabbath" (Mark 2 See, e.g., the views of Wayne Stnckland and Douglas Moo in Gieg Bahnsen; Walter Kaiser; Douglas Moo; Wayne Strickland; and types/symbols set up to lead human 2:28, NIV). This divine lordship over Wrilem VanGemeren, five Views on Law and Gospel (Counterpoints; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1996), 276-279, 343, 375, 376. beings to salvation from sin.34 the Sabbath was part of His claim to 3 See, e.g., A T. Lincoln, "From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical and Theological Perspective," From Sabbath to Lord's Day: A Biblical, Objection 3: Sabbath is like circumci be the Messiah.39 Historical, and Theological Investigation (D. A. Carson, ed., Grand sion (compare Acts 15) in that the New Because the Sabbath was made for Rapids Zondervan, 1982), 400, 403, 404; Dale Ratzlaff, Sabbath in Crisis, rev. ed. (Glendale, Anz.: Life Assurance Ministries, 1995) Testament has removed the reason for its people and not vice versa, people can 4 See e.g. Gary G. Cohen, "The Doctrine of the Sabbath in the Old and New Testaments," Grace Journal 6 (1965), 13, 14; Geoffrey W. application. not determine or use it as they please. Bromiley, "Lord's Day," The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia To the contrary, the nonceremo- Thus, in this statement that Christians (ed. G. W Bromiley; Grand Rapids, Mich. Eerdmans, 1986), 3:159; Pope John Paul U, "Apostolic Letter Dies Domini of the Holy Father nial Sabbath principle of rest on the commonly take today as liberating John Paul II to the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Catholic Church on Keeping the Lord's Day Holy,"
February 2004 MINISTRY 11 together does not have the security in their relationship that a married couple has. Sometimes affection falters, and vows must then take over. That God would have any relationship with us, even a loose one, would be astounding enough. That He would commit to a covenant relationship with us is truly astonishing. What is a covenant? A covenant is a for mal, solemn, and binding agreement between parties for the performance of some specific mutual, interrelated action. In other words it's The covenants: a compact to start a project and see it through to the end. We'll get this bridge built, we'll form this company, or we'll stay married as a developmental long as we live. A covenant attempts to accomplish some thing. It is a mutual agreement that makes approach such an accomplishment likely to succeed. This is important to understand because sometimes the discussion on the covenants in Scripture degenerates into a discussion about or centuries Protestants have had an stipulations, about commandments, as if they Smuts van Rooyen ongoing disagreement over the are in and of themselves a covenant. Of covenants and particularly the con course, a covenant does spell out the stipula comitant implications for the law. tions to be honored, but they are there to Jonathan Edwards observed, "There protect the project. isF perhaps no part of divinity attended with so Finally, a sign of some sort, such as shaking much intricacy, and wherein orthodox hands, circumcision, communion emblems, divines do so much differ as stating the pre or a rainbow thrown across the sky, gives out cise agreement and difference between the ward expression to the inner resolve that the two dispensations of Moses and Christ."'That parties have made. The sign says "I'm serious this is still the case is evident from the survey about this thing. You've got a deal." of scholars and their positions on the law made by Brice L. Martin.2 He indicates that Cod©s great undertaking scholars who argue that the law is no longer What precisely is the great undertaking valid for believers include such heavyweights God has covenanted with us to accomplish? It as Albert Schweitzer, H. J. Schoeps, Ernst is nothing less than the establishment of a Kasemann, F. F. Brace, and Walter Gutbrod. kingdom, the creation of a relational place Scholars taking the opposing view, namely, where He can put down roots with His people that the law is still valid for believers, include and we can together be His family. C. E. B. Cranfield, George E. Howard, Hans A simple, on-the-face-of-it reading of the Conzelmann, George Eldon Ladd, and story of Abraham (Gen. 12; 15; 17) confirms Richard Longenecker. This divergence of this. Abraham is called to leave his home and opinion between such astute scholars gives a to venture forth to a foreign land for God, schoolboy like me pause, but on this keystone where he is to create a kingdom. issue a thinking minister cannot avoid an God said to Abram: "This is my covenant opinion. Here is mine. with you: You will be the father of many Smuts van Rooyen, nations ... I will make you very fruitful; I will Ph.D., is senior What is a covenant and its role? make nations of you, and kings will come pastor of the Val/ejo Drive Seventh-day First, a brief word about what a covenant from you. I will establish my covenant as an Adventist Church, does. A covenant brings security to a project everlasting covenant between me and you and Duarte, California. or relationship by calling on two parties to your descendants after you for the genera make a commitment. tions to come, to be your God and the God of As I see it, an unmarried couple living your descendants after you. The whole land of
12 MINISTRY February 2004 Canaan, where you are now an alien, holds true for the new covenant developmentally from the old? I will give as an everlasting possession made with the disciples at the (Think here of an egg becoming a to your descendants after you; I will scrubbed table (Matt. 26:27-29; John larva, the larva a pupa, and finally, be their God" (Gen. 17:4-8, NIV, ital 14:1-3). It holds true for the twelve the pupa a butterfly.) ics supplied). tribes of Israel, the redeemed of all The Scriptures teach the kingdom What a saga! God determines to ages who stand awestruck as the New unfolds developmentally, first the open a brand new frontier, where Jerusalem floats gently down from stalk, then the head, then the full ker Abraham's heart can connect with His heaven (Rev. 21:1-5, 9, 10). nel (Mark 4:24-29), and the covenant and be at rest. True, the technical term These covenant experiences are and law keep pace. "kingdom of God" is not used here or nothing less than the unfolding of the Jesus tied the kingdom and the law anywhere in the Old Testament, but developmental stages of the one ever together (Luke 16:16, 17). Further the idea is patently obvious. lasting covenant made with Abraham. more, the predicted evolutionary John Bright was right when he change was built in to the very fabric said, "It is at once apparent that the Changes in the covenant? of the covenant made with Abraham idea [of the kingdom] is broader than Which brings us to the question, (Gal. 3:8). The promised blessing was the term, and we must look for the What is the paradigm of change used to evolve, from Abraham's family to a idea where the term is not present."3 in Scripture to describe the change in nation, to an international commu The fabulous kingdom dream of a the covenant? Is it a revolutionary nity, and then come to full fruition in place of togetherness drives the ever paradigm of change that overthrows heaven, in a city Abraham longed for. lasting covenant in all of its phases. the status quo and establishes a wholly This holds true for the covenant new order? (Remember the American Continuity and discontinuity made with Abraham in the adobe set Revolution in which the colonists At each stage of development the tlements of Ur (Gen. 12). It holds true throw off the yoke of British rule and everlasting covenant is reaffirmed, for the old covenant made with Israel establish their own government.) and the process moved forward. At beneath the rim rocks of Sinai (Exod. Or is it an evolutionary paradigm each stage something passes away 23:20, 31; 25:8; 33; 34; Deut. 7). It of change in which the new emerges and something new happens. The
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February 2004 MINISTRY 13 process involves both continuity and not enter God's rest because they opted ever, are not necessarily free of prob discontinuity, the oak is in the acorn, for works and refused to live by faith lems. There is always the real danger and the acorn is in the oak, yet the (Heb. 4:1-11). They were saved by faith of an arrest in development. When an tree is not the acorn. as we are, they lived by faith as we do arrest occurs, a normal, earlier devel If the evolutionary or developmen (Heb. 11; Rom. 9:31, 32; Isa. 45:25). opmental stage may sabotage a later tal paradigm of covenant change is 6. Moses is not the antithesis of stage with drastic consequences. This correct, a number of important obser Jesus. Scripture says Moses was faith clearly was the situation in much of vations follow. First, we may not pit a ful as a servant in all God's house and the early church when Paul wrote his lower stage of development against a testified to what would come (Heb. epistle to the Galatians. higher as if they are inherently antag 3:1-6). Jesus said, "If you believed What happened was that Jewish onistic. The fact is that lower stages Moses, you would believe me, for he Christians attempted to freeze the produce the higher stages, and pass wrote about me. But since you do not kingdom within the framework of their dynamic, their DNA on. believe what he wrote, how are you Judaism and covenantal nomism. We may not therefore pit the going to believe what I say?" (John They threw up a developmental road Sinaitic covenant made with Moses 5:46, 47, NIV). block that prevented the eschatologi- against either the everlasting covenant 7. Paul praised the covenant experi cal era of the Spirit from proceeding. made with Abraham, or the new ence of Israel as essential to the story Thus they created an unnatural ten covenant made with the disciples. All of salvation. It was by means of Israel, sion between the era of Moses and the of the covenants thrive on promise he said, that the incarnation of Jesus era of the Spirit, between grace and and grace. Individuals were not saved occurred. He found splendor in Israel's law, between law and Jesus. This ten by grace in Abraham's day and by law history under the old covenant. sion was created, not inherently there. in Moses' day. Nor were people saved "Theirs is the adoption as sons, theirs Toddling around with out by grace in Paul's day and by law in the divine glory, the covenants, the stretched arms to maintain balance is Moses' day, as some assert. receiving of the law, the temple wor natural in small children but tragic That the era of Moses was an era of ship and the promises. Theirs are the behavior in adults. What form did the grace is clear from the following: patriarchs, and from them is traced the Galatian developmental roadblock 1. God did not choose Israel as His human ancestry of Christ, who is God take? The Jewish Christians insisted treasured possession because of any over all, forever praised! Amen" (Rom. that the Gentiles could be justified merit they possessed. He chose them 9:1-5). Salvation is of the Jews. The but only if they first became Jews by because He loved them and had sworn Jews not only brought us to Christ submitting to circumcision, dietary an oath to their forefathers. God calls (Gal. 3:24) but gave us Christ. restrictions, and observance of the the Sinaitic covenant "my covenant of 8. The covenant at Sinai was not Jewish holy days. The preservation of love" (Deut. 7:7-9; 4:32-39). one of salvation by law; i.e., legalism. a national identity is the central issue 2. The prologue to the Ten God would never design a covenant in the struggles of the Galatians. Commandments reminds Israel that based on salvation by works. Legalism A red-hot Paul seeks to crash the One giving the law is the God is always as filthy rags. But Paul labels through this roadblock. It is crucial to who redeemed them by means of the the Old Covenant glorious. When understand that Paul is not writing Passover (Exod. 20). Israel was saved Moses received the law his face shone an objective, theological treatise on by grace before they were given the with the glory of God (2 Cor. 3:7-11; the relation of law to grace in this law (Gal. 3:15-18). Even the stipula Exod. 34:29-35). True, the glory faded epistle. Rather his arguments address tions of the covenant were a gracious as that stage of development faded, an unnatural arrested development. reminder to Israel of their redemption but it was glory while it lasted. Only He therefore points out to the (Deut. 6:20-25). by comparison to the glory of Jesus is Galatians that they have opted out of 3. The relation of the law to grace the glory of Moses less impressive. But the eschatological age of the Spirit was depicted by means of the ark of it was impressive. and regressed back in to the age of the covenant. There the law was placed 9. The lives of scores of Old covenantal nomism and Jewish beneath the golden lid of the mercy Testament characters testify to salva nationalism (Gal. 3:1-5). seat (Exod. 31:7). tion by grace alone. Think of Jacob, Then he reminds them that God 4. It is nothing less than the David, Mephiboseth, and Gomer, to planned all along for the Gentiles to Passover meal that Jesus transforms name a few. Read the sequential pro be part of His unfolding kingdom, for into the symbol of the new covenant cession of the faithful in Hebrews 11. He told Abraham that all nations of (Matt. 26:17-30). Grace unfolds into the earth would be blessed through fuller grace as one covenant informs Problems in developmental him (3:6-9). Moreover, He warns the next; as it comes into maturity. process them that if they insist in remaining 5. According to Hebrews, Israel did Developmental processes, how- where they are, they will remain
14 MINISTRY February 2004 under the curse of the law, for Israel had not obeyed God (3:10-14). The Amazing Facts College Furthermore, the law did not annul or undo the promise made to of Evangelism gave us the /; Abraham, which means that the promise is still present in the training we need for ministry!! ({ covenant made with Moses (3:15-18). The acorn is in the sapling and must be allowed to become a tree. He argues that the law never was the means to righteousness. If it were "We've learned possible for the law to have saved how to do evangelism in a practi humanity, God would have made cal way, how to understand the such a law. God never did so because reactions of the human heart, it was not supposed to be so (3:21). and how, by the wisdom of the The era of the law, of covenantal nomism, was intended to lead us to Holy Spirit, to reach each heart the era of Christ (3:24); it was not to for Christ. We've been incredibly be the end point, so let history blessed by the AFCOE program!" progress. Let the promise that is —Paulo and Maria Cordeiro, inherent in both Abraham and Moses bring us to Christ. Adventistpastoral team in Portugal
The status of the Law HE©LL TRAIN YOUR MEMBERS Here we must ask what exactly it is FOR BIBLE WORK AND CHURCH GROWTH! that passes away as the covenant at COURSE REGISTRATION Sinai progresses into the Christian DATE DEADLINE era? Paul's basic purpose in Galatians APRIL 15, 2004 is to declare that national Israel no Complete July 18 thru longer stands alone as God's special Nov. 20,2004 people. The era of their exclusive 4-month Course identity is over, and the interna tional, multiethnic, Spirit identity Pastoral & Advanced Sept. 13 thru JULY 1,2004 replaces it. The blessing of exclusion Evangelism Intensives! Oct. 7,2004 (Exod. 19:5, 6) has become the bless ing of embrace (Gal. 3:26-29). Designed especially for pastors, lay pastors, and church leaders, this advanced All who have faith, even Gentiles training course is divided into four one-week intensives, each covering a specialized field, including pastoral evangelism, public evangelism, church revitalization and (what a shocker), are now whole church growth, and church planting and developing cell churches. hearted candidates for covenantal relationship with God. Moreover, the At AFCOE you will. spiritual life of believers is no longer expressed through a gracious system Master frequently misunderstood Bible doctrines of law but through a relationship Develop confidence and skills to witness with Jesus (5:1-6). The legitimate love and teach any time or place of law in the heart of the Israelite (Deut. 6:4-9) no longer animates the Learn to conduct powerful and convincing spiritual life of the believer (Rom. 7:1- Bibiie studies and ^Vangetistic seminars 6). Jesus has come, and He is now the animator of his covenantal people!
What about the Ten Commandments? But if the era of a gracious covenantal nomism is passed, what TOD AY! or online at www.amazinglacts.org are the implications for the Ten
February 2004 MINISTRY 15 Commandments today? Do they con hearts of flesh, and they would keep and become relational principles that tinue to have moral authority? God's decrees (Ezek. 36:24-27). reveal where we are with Christ. Our Yes, they do, for they are spe This prophecy is strikingly similar bodies, for example, are extensions of cifically adapted to fit the age of the to the new covenant prophecies of the body of Christ and therefore are Spirit. In the era of the New Covenant Jeremiah and Isaiah (Jer. 31:31-34; not to be united with prostitutes the law is universalized; applied to Isa. 59:20, 21). Paul brings Ezekiel to (1 Cor. 6:12-19). Sexual immorality is Christ and the Spirit; stripped of its Thessalonica. Clearly the command thus much more than a legal infrac national, Jewish flavor; summarized ments were still morally operative for tion; it is a sin against our relationship as love; and preserved until the king Gentiles in the New Covenant era. with Jesus. dom of God is inaugurated. Let us The commandments are stripped The Sabbath command also is look at these adaptations. of their national jurisdictional status "Christianized." In the new age, That the law is universalized and under the new covenant. This was Sabbath rest focuses on entering the denationalized may be seen in the necessary because in the Old heavenly temple with Jesus where we way Paul tailors the fifth command Testament the commandments func find the throne of grace, and then rest ment (honor your parents) to fit the tioned as laws of governance for a in our Savior's finished work (Heb. 4; new situation of a multinational nation, as the law of the land. To dis 6:16-20). Sabbath rest is "entering in" church. In Ephesians 6:1-3, the apos obey them was therefore not only not merely "refraining from." Jesus tle quotes the command but not immoral but also illegal. Gross infrac has become the center of Christian accurately. He tweaks one phrase, tions of the law were punished by the obedience: He is first, and last, and namely, the promise of longevity. death penalty. An incorrigible child, a best in everything, even in—or espe As restated, the command no woman caught in adultery, a Sabbath cially in—the matter of the law. longer promises longevity "in the breaker could all be stoned until dead. How shall we then live? Although land the Lord is giving you" (Exod. As national Israel passes, the local, the law is still morally authoritative 20:12, NIV), but promises longevity jurisdictional, penal aspect of the law and needed, we do not live for the in the earth or the world. The com also passes. When the Pharisees law, but for Jesus. We understand that mand is universalized to include brought a woman caught in adultery we cannot keep the law unless we live obedient Gentile children living to Jesus, while not denying their in the grace of God, are constrained beyond the borders of Israel. The ben Mosaic-driven arguments to stone by the love of Jesus, and are empow efit of longevity is for everyone her, He recognized her moral infrac ered by the Holy Spirit. everywhere. tion but rejected the death penalty The commandments may function Thielman has shown us a dramatic 0ohn 8:3-11). as boundary markers demarcating our example of the law continuing to Furthermore, the New Testament separation to God. But boundary function in the eschatological age of adapts the commandments to the new markers are only fences. They are not the Spirit.4 He saw it in Paul's injunc era by summarizing them into one the farm itself; the land is the farm. tion to the Thessalonians to break simple principle, namely, love your Jesus is our land. Our souls flourish with their past. The boundary markers neighbor as yourself (Rom. 13:9, 10). on and in Him. We grow our wheat that were to set these believers apart The effect of this is to remotivate on Him. We know it is impossible to were a complete break with idolatry, obedience from obedience as duty to grow anything on a fence. and a turning away from sexual impu obedience as positive desire. This sum At the deepest level of our being rity (1 Thess. 1:1-10; 4:1-8). mary does not abolish the command we know that the law is not our glory. If they did not obey these com ments, simply because a summary "For God, who said, 'Let light shine mandments, they would do nothing never destroys what it summarizes. It out of darkness,' made his light shine less than reject the Spirit. Paul applied distills but does not destroy. in our hearts to give us the light of the new covenant prophecy of Ezekiel Thus the law is preserved. Not one the knowledge of the glory of God in to their situation. Ezekiel foresaw a jot or tittle of the law passes away the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6, NIV). time when God's people would be until all is fulfilled (Luke 16:16, 17). This is our glory, m cleansed from impurity (akatharsia) When is all fulfilled? Not until the 1 Cited by W. A. VanGemeren in Greg L. Bahnsen, et. and not serve idols when the Spirit inaugurated kingdom is consum al. Five Views on Law and Gospel (Grand Rapids, would move upon them, when their mated at the coming of Jesus.5 Midi.: Zondervan, 1993), 14. stony hearts would be exchanged for 2 Brice L. Martin, Christ and the Law in Paul (Leiden: Brill, 1989), 21-68. The commandments recast in 3 John Bright, The Kingdom of God (New York: COMING SOON the image of Jesus Ahingdon Press, 1953), 18. An updated MINISTRY Web site! Finally, the New Testament recasts 4 Frank Thielman, Paul and the Law (Downers Grove, 111.: Intervarsity Press, 1994). See chapter 3. Watch for details... the commandments in the image of 5 G. E. Ladd, The Theology of the New Testament Jesus. They lose the thunder of Sinai (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1974), 495-510.
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Ellen G. White: Prophetic voice for the last days Seventh-day Adventist Statement Moses as a prophet and leader (Exod. of Faith #1 7: "One of the gifts of the 3-4;Hosea12:13). Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an iden 3. When God©s people turned away tifying mark of the remnant church and from Him by involving themselves with was manifested in the ministry of Ellen C. ALBERTO TIMM idolatry, He sent several prophets to White. As the Lord©s messenger, her writ warn them (2 Chron. 36:15, 16). ings are a continuing and authoritative 4. When the time had come for source of truth which provide for the Christ to begin His ministry on earth, church comfort, guidance, instruction, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the and correction. They also make clear that way for the coming of Christ (Matt. 3). the Bible is the standard by which all One author suggests that the main teaching and experience must be tested characteristics of all four of these crises (loel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; the prophecy of Daniel 8:9-14. The are showing up simultaneously in the Rev. 12:17; 19:10)." end-time restoration of biblical truth time of the end: was seen to be fostered by the preach 1. As in the days of Noah, the world hristianity had its roots in the tes- ing of the three angels© messages of is ripe for destruction. timony of Old Testament Revelation 14:6-12 and by a modern 2. As in the case of the Exodus from C prophets (John 5:39), the teach manifestation of the prophetic gift in Egypt, God©s people will be rescued ings of Jesus, and the doctrine of the the life and work of Ellen G. White. from an oppressive environment to a apostles (Acts 2:42). But after the apos better place, even the heavenly Canaan. tolic era the Christian church lost much Biblical foundation 3. As in the days of the biblical of its commitment to the prophetic- Over the years, Seventh-day Adven prophets, the world today is involved apostolic message and began to tists have used several biblical argu with many false systems of worship. incorporate the nonbiblical compo ments in support of prophetic guidance 4. As in the days of John the Baptist, nents of the surrounding cultures. The within their own movement. One of Christ is coming soon to His people.3 original trust in "one Lord, one faith, those is based on Amos 3:7, which If in each of those specific crises the one baptism" (Eph. 4:5, NKJV) was states, "surely the Sovereign Lord does truth was restored by the special assist replaced over time by the acceptance of nothing without revealing his plan to his ance of the prophetic gift, why should many lords, many faiths, and several servants the prophets" (NIV). we not expect such an assistance when modes of baptisms. Christianity has Those words are seen as providing the final and broadest restoration of become so divided in its teachings and an insightful glimpse into God©s rela truth is taking place as we near the end fellowship that a recent study has iden tionship with this world in some of its of time (Dan. 8:9-14; Rev. 14:6-12)? tified 34,000 different "Christian most crucial moments. God has provid Seventh-day Adventists have used denominations" in the world.© ed special prophetic assistance three additional arguments from the Many claim that ecumenical trends throughout history, especially when New Testament to uphold their modern will eventually achieve a common litur major struggles between truth and prophetic guidance. gical fellowship of all Christians (cf. Acts error have occurred, and when truth The first is the fact that the gift of 2:41 -47). But others argue that a mere needed to be restored. prophecy is mentioned in all of the liturgical fellowship should never be The Bible is full of examples of this major New Testament lists of the gifts of used to replace the actual need of a kind of divine intervention. Here are just the Spirit (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; deeper restoration of Bible teachings of a few that God initiated for specific, rep Eph. 4:11). These gifts have been dis the apostolic Christianity.2 resentative reasons: tributed by the Holy Spirit "for the edi Seventh-day Adventists believe not 1. When the world was to be fying of the body of Christ: Till we all only that such a biblical restoration has destroyed by the Flood, God called come in the unity of the faith, and of the to take place in modern times but also Noah as a prophet and "preacher of knowledge of the Son of God, unto a that it actually began around 1844, at righteousness" (Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter 2:5); perfect man, unto the measure of the the end of the prophetic time period of 2. When God intended to liberate stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. the 2,300 evenings and mornings of the Israelites from Egypt, He chose 4:11-14).
18 MINISTRY February 2004 This means that, as long as the church does not achieve "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," the need and the possibility for those gifts (including the gift of prophecy) to be given to the Christian community still remains. Another argument is the biblical warning that believers should not reject any specific manifestation of the gift of prophecy without a convincing reason to do so (1 Thess. 5:19-21). If the genu ine gift of prophecy was not to be given after the apostolic age, why would such a warning be necessary? Instead John deliberately warns his readers, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). Why should we "try" the prophets if no true prophet was ever to appear after the apostolic age? A third argument in favor of a mod ern prophetic guidance is based on those eschatological passages that promise a genuine prophetic manifesta tion before the second coming of Christ. For instance, Joel 2:28-31 says that "before the great and the terrible day of the Lord" many people would actually "prophesy," "dream dreams," and "see visions." Although this prophecy had a partial fulfillment in the upper room at the first Pentecost after Jesus© crucifixion (Acts 2:16-21), its fulfillment is related also to the same eschatological signs in the sun and moon described in Matthew 24:29-31 and Luke 21:25-28. Finally, Revelation 12:17 refers to "the testimony of Jesus Christ" as one of the major characteristics of the end- time remnant church. This testimony, identified in Revelation 19:10 as the spirit of prophecy, has been understood by Seventh-day Adventists as having a plain fulfillment in Ellen White©s prophetic ministry.
Contemporary relevance Some have asked, "Since we have the Bible, why do we need additional revelation in the writings of Ellen White?" If contemporary Christianity manifested itself as a homogeneous
February 2004 MINISTRY 19 whole, all its followers interpreting the willing to accept Christ as Savior but not As a reaction to this, in the 1980s a Bible in much the same way, there as Lord. They study God©s Word but do radical restorationism began to grow would be more reason to doubt the not fully obey its message. A modern within Seventh-day Adventism. Enam necessity of such an additional revela manifestation of the Spirit of prophecy ored by a narrow view of the spiritual tion. But the fact of the matter is that was given to help us bridge the existen approach of nineteenth-century Christianity has become more divided tial gap between professing religion and Adventism, some tended to read the today in its interpretation of the Bible living it in practice (see Matt. 5:13-16). writings of early Adventist authors, than ever before. Oswald Chambers has said, "The assuming that if all their teachings were In this context, T. H. Jemison notes golden rule for understanding spiritually not explicitly condemned by Ellen White that Cod provided a new manifestation is not intellect, but obedience. If a man in her own writings, they were fully of the prophetic gift "to serve three wants scientific knowledge, intellectual endorsed by her. basic purposes: (1) to direct attention to curiosity is his guide; but if he wants The next step was to look for the Bible, (2) to aid in understanding insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he endorsements of those teachings by the Bible, and (3) to help in applying can only get it by obedience."5 means of selective and one-sided Bible principles in our lives."4 rereadings of her writings. Strange as it With so many Bibles circulating in the Hermeneutical challenges might sound, this is exactly the world today, why do we need to have our There has always been a strong hermeneutical rationale some use today attention called to that book? Such a human tendency to reject, or at least to to prove, for example, that Ellen White need is due to the fact that most of disregard, those prophetic messages was as much an anti-trinitarian as some those who possess the Bible do not give that speak directly to one©s own prob of her fellow believers. to it the attention it deserves. lems (see 2 Chron. 36:14-16; Matt. In the pre-lnternet world, issues Today, millions of people are com 23:29, 30, 34). Those who do not over related to Ellen White and her prophetic pletely absorbed, perhaps obsessed, by come this tendency might end up ministry had a limited circulation within a host of other preoccupations, which developing the unbalanced approach of Seventh-day Adventism. But since the seem to grow in number and influence emphasizing those topics that seem to late 1990s a serious globalization of with every passing day. In such an be more attractive and overlooking both criticisms to Ellen White and dis absorbing world we need to be re those they do not like very much. torted interpretations of her writings is minded constantly of the great themes Seventh-day Adventists have also faced taking place. of the Bible and of our existential prior other major hermeneutical challenges in Today, almost all the issues of the ities (see Matt. 6:33). A new manifesta interpreting the writings of Ellen White.6 past and present are simultaneously tion of the gift of prophecy has been In the late 1960s and early 1970s, available at the homes and offices of all given us to direct our attention back to some Seventh-day Adventists began to those who have access to the World the Bible. foster a revisionist, historical-critical Wide Web. Such a massive spectrum of If the Bible is its own interpreter, why rereading of Ellen White©s prophetic criticisms of Ellen White, along with the do we need additional "aid in under work and writing. Downplaying the evi myriad distorted interpretations of her standing the Bible"? This specific need dence of supernatural, divine interven writings, are targeting the church at a derives from the fact that Christianity is tion in the life and work of Mrs. White, time when many new (and defenseless) divided today into many conflicting her ministry was explained almost converts are joining the denomination schools of biblical interpretation, each exclusively in terms of a natural per without enough knowledge to respond of them claiming hermeneutical faith spective. The nature of her visions and to those challenges. fulness to the Scriptures. God gave us a the content of her messages were modern manifestation of the gift of accounted for almost exclusively on the Understanding the message prophecy through the writings of Ellen basis of historical, psychological, cul In this milieu people easily become White to help us break away from the tural, and ecclesiological phenomena. preoccupied with the mechanics of Ellen human traditions that conspire against Ellen White©s visions were perceived White©s inspiration and with the techni the Word of God (see Matt. 15:6-9). just as psychological trances, and the calities behind her writings. Useful and Those writings are a divine prophetic messages that went beyond her com necessary as is such knowledge, it is only filter that helps us to remove all the mon knowledge were considered merely so to the extent in which it helps to human rubble that tradition has artifi as the result of either plagiarism or her strengthen faith in the broader scope of cially imposed on the Bible, so that the own creative imagination. Consequently, the biblical message. It is regrettable divine message of the Scriptures can Ellen White©s writings were understood that some become more concerned flow pure and clean into our hearts. as historically conditioned by the "more with issues related to Mrs. White©s writ Why do we need a further, special primitive" cultural milieu in which she ings than with the actual message "help in applying Bible principles in our lived, without much relevance to our carried by the same writings. lives"? Because many people today are "enlightened" generation. Those who succeed in moving
20 MINISTRY February 2004 beyond the technical level into the Ellen White©s message indeed com lead us back to the unsullied message broader thematic spectrum of her mes prises a harmonious constellation of of Scripture. After all, our spiritual house sage will find an extremely rich field for Christ-centered truths. All her writings will last only if we build it on the im faith-uplifting research. A person can testify that "Christ, His character and movable Word of God (Isa. 40:8; Matt. also benefit from previous studies trying work, is the center and circumference of 7:24-27). m to identify the major themes of those all truth. He is the chain upon which the writings.7 jewels of doctrine are linked. In Him is Alberto R. Timm, Ph.D., is director of the But following are a few more princi found the complete system of truth."11 Brazilian Ellen G. White Research Center and ples that may be helpful when studying professor of Church History and Historical the messages found in the writings of Conclusion Theology at the Sao Paulo Adventist University Mrs. White. Seventh-day Adventists believe there College Campus Engenheiro Coelho, Brazil. Those who believe Ellen White was is enough biblical evidence for a modern divinely inspired have no difficulty or non-canonical manifestation of the gift I David B Barrett ct al, World Christian Encyclopedia: A Comparative Survey of problem recognizing the overall har of prophecy. When modern criticism Churches and Religion in the Modern World, 2nd ed. (Oxford Oxford University Press, 2001), 1 vi. mony and inner consistency of her began to undermine the trustworthiness :s provided in Richard T. Hughes and C Leonard Alien, Illusions afInnocence. work. Some might feel uneasy about the of Scripture, Cod chose Ellen G. White Protestant Pnmitivtwi m America, 1630-1875 (Chicago- University of Chicago Press, 1988). fact that Mrs. White herself did not sys as a special prophetic voice to uplift the 3 Valdear S Lima, "Necessitaroos de urn Profeta Hoje?" Revista Actventnta tematize each of her major themes. But normative authority of His Word. The (Brazil), December 2000, 8, 9 4 T, Housel Jemison, A Prophet Among You (Nampa, Idaho Pacific Press®, it is precisely this nonsystematic rationalistic approach of modernism is 1955), 371 5 Oswald Chambers, My [7ft770if/?)r/-/(sHgftes((Wcstwcxxi,NJ.:Barbour, 1963), 151. approach that challenges our thoughts being replaced by the subjectivistic 6 See Alberto R. Timm, "Issues on Ellen G. Wmie ant! He: Role m the Seventh- day Adventist Church," rev June 7, 2002 (Lecture originally presented at the and instigates a research process that emphasis of postmodernism, but the General Conference Field Conference in Theology, Greece and Turkey, April 29-May 7, 2002, and at the First International Conference on Ellen G White can significantly enrich our understand interpretation of the Bible continues to and Adventist History, Battle Creek, Mich , May 15-19, 2002) 7 See, for instance, George R. Knight, Meeting Ellen White A Fresh Look at Her ing of the truth that is in her writing. be undermined. Perhaps Christianity has life, Writings, and Major Themes (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald, 1996), When we study the work of Ellen 109-127, Alberto R Timm, "Ellen G. White Side Issues or Central Message," never been so close to the point of los Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 7 (Autumn 1996}: 168-179; White, we can easily see that she refers ing its biblical identity as in our days. Douglais, 256-267; Walter M Booth, "Ellen White Theologian?" Ministry, October 2000, 5-7 to several principles or realities as cen Along with King jehoshaphat of long 8 Ellen White qualifies as "center" of our message such entities as God (Testimonies for the Church, 6 236), Christ (Coumeh to Teachers, 453), the ters8 and foundations9 of our faith. Such ago, today many are asking, "Is there Word of God (Sign, of the Times, October 10, 1895, 4), the third angel's mes sage (Manuscript Releases, 14:55), the heavenly sanctuary (The Great entities are not in contradiction to one not here a prophet of the Lord besides, Controversy, 488), God's throne (Signs of the Times, August 13, 1902, 2), the atonement of Christ (Evangelism, 223), and the cross of Calvary (Seventh-day another, but they rather complement that we might inquire of him?" (1 Kings Adventist Bible Commentary, 4 1173) 9 Ellen White applies the expression "foundation" of our faith, for example, to each other within the whole integrated 22:7). God (Tim Day with God, 183), Christ (Tiie Desire of Ages, 599), God's Word exposition of truth. Time has come for Seventh-day (Counsels to Teachm, 374), the prophetic word (Evangelism, 196), the heav enly sanctuary (Manuscript Releases, 4 248), Christ's atoning work (The Great Richard M. Davidson called my Adventists to let the world know that Controversy, 73), and the seventh-day Sabbath (That I May Know Him, 357). 10 -See E. G While, Education (Nampa, Idaho Pacific Press®, 1952), 190 attention to the possibility that in Ellen there is still a prophetic voice that can 11 White, Our High Calling (Washington, DC.: Review and Herald, 1961), 16 White we have a "concentric concept of truth" similar to the various layers of an Genuine medical missionary work onion cut in two parts. Some of the lay Is bound up inseparably with the keeping of God's command ers can be narrower and some wider, ments, of which the Sabbath is especially mentioned, since but all of them are closely related to one It Is the great memorial of God's creative work* Its obsery* another in a concentric way. Likewise, the concept of "foundation" in our faith ante is bound up with the work of restoring the moral image can be seen from a narrower or wider of God in man, —Testimonies^ vol. 6* pp. 265, 266 inclusive perspective. Are you combining these in your ministry? To grasp the richness of Ellen White©s Let us help train your workers. message, we have to avoid the tempta WE BRING SCHOOL TO YOUR CHURCH tion of choosing just one of those Hydrotherapy-Full Body Massage thematic centers or foundations and God©s plan of redemption - Bible doctrines assuming, reductively, that such a 6 Weeks 120 Hours For ministry & service only Not a legal license theme can stand for or in the place of all Instructor is a the others. In studying her work, we Licensed Nurse & Massage Therapist have actually to think in the integrative way she did while, for instance, she was THE REGISTRY exposing her understanding of the plan ______Route 5, Box 247 Colcord, OK 74338 of salvation within the framework of the Since 1967 * Phone (918) 422-5562 (918)422-8996 great cosmic controversy between God The Registry Is For Those Who Love Others______and Satan. 10
February 2004 MINISTRY 21 David H. Roper states the problem well: "The crux of this entire issue is a false equation of Old Testament and law," so that the two tes taments "stand in almost total discontinuity with each other. Law and grace are seen as antithetical, opposing principles. [For many] the Old Testament is law; the New Testament is grace."1 This misconception has led numer ous people to divide law and grace into two distinct and consecutive periods or dispensa tions: for Israel, only law, and for the Christian church, only grace. Classical Protestant theology, however, defended the understanding that law and grace are parallel themes running from Paul, law, and Genesis through Revelation. This is the perennial problem in church history. Which view represents Paul's position covenants on law and grace in the new covenant? Paul's theology of law and grace Editorial note: This article is a condensed, To Paul the relationship of salvation to the edited combination of two chapters from Dr. law was of prime concern. His treatment of Hans LaRondelle LaRondelle's upcoming book on biblical covenants the law was motivated by his Pharisaic back titled Our Faithful Creator. Watch for informa ground. He states that he was "a Hebrew of tion in Ministry and elsewhere as to when and Hebrews; in regard to the law a Pharisee; as for how the book may be obtained. zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless" (Phil. 3:5, 6, NIV; he relationship between law and Greek: en nomoi, "righteousness" "in the law," grace is a central concern of as in NKJV; emphasis supplied). Christian theology. Note how Cranfield enlightens us: "The Greek lan fohn's Gospel distinguishes the guage of Paul's day possessed no word-group two: "For the law was given corresponding to our Tegalism'," and thus Tthrough Moses; grace and truth came through "was seriously hampered in the work of clari Jesus Christ" (1:17). fying the Christian position with regard to the Is John placing law and grace in funda law."2 As a Pharisee, Paul was seeking a "right mental contrast with God's will? Does the eousness of his own that comes from the law" New Testament teach a replacement of Moses (verse 9). But he sharply contrasts this Pharisaic by Christ, so that the law is no longer obliga zeal for the law to his Christian desire to be tory? Was ancient Israel saved by law, and we found in Christ, having "the righteousness by faith in Christ? that comes from God and is by faith" (verse 9). The New Testament affirms in Hebrews 11 Did Paul blame the law for his efforts to that God commended saints of old for their achieve a legalistic righteousness? Or was his faith in, and walk with God. This affirmation Pharisaic tradition guilty of a fundamental mis suggests that both Testaments are important use of the law? This is the critical point! for a balanced understanding of God's eternal In Romans 7 Paul states that we have been covenant of redemption. "released from the law" by "dying to what The terms "Old Testament" and "New once bound us," but affirms that the law itself Hans LaRondelle, Testament" are not used as such by biblical is "holy, and the commandment is holy, Th.D., is professor authors. The terms have in fact led to a wide righteous and good, and spiritual" (verses 6, emeritus of systematic theology at the spread misunderstanding of the nature of the 12, 14, emphasis supplied). Admittedly, Paul Adventist Theological two Testaments, as though the Old Testament does not blame the law for his former bondage Seminary, Andrews is nothing more than books of the Law with to it, but confesses that he himself had to die University, Berrien little relevance to Christians in the light of to the law, not that the law had to die to him Springs, Michigan. the arrival of the Messiah. (verse 6)!
22 MINISTRY February 2004 He presses the point again: "Did Paul used nomos ["law"] in Romans that which is good [the law], then, 10:4 "in the sense of Torah as it stands become death to me? By no means! for Scripture: the Old Testament, not But in order that sin might be recog as something 'old' which has been nized as sin, it produced death in me abrogated by Christ but rather as the through what was good, so that living word of God . . . ever true to through the commandment sin might itself... and, therefore, ever valid and become utterly sinful" (7:13, emphasis new."3 supplied). Paul saw the Old Testament as wit Here we have Paul's explicit decla nessing to Christ, so that "Christ is ration that the problem is not with the fulfillment and climax of God's the law itself, but with his sinful revelation to mankind,"4 Paul's faith nature that does not know itself in in Jesus as the Messiah of prophecy the light of God, and therefore needs meant for him that Christ became the to be awakened to its sinfulness by a key for a new hermeneutic. He read confrontation with the law of God, the Torah in the light of Christ! He thus being held accountable to God could no longer view the law as an (see Rom. 3:19). end in itself but as a means that leads Paul defines the spiritual purpose to Christ. "Paul's veneration for the of the law: "Through the law we Torah was surpassed by his veneration become conscious of sin" (Rom. for Christ. This surpassing of Torah by God's Word to My Life 3:20). God's law thus reveals that our Christ is what Paul wished to teach Help your members value transgression of it produces guilt Israel and this is what Israel did not their personal Scripture before God. That, for Paul, is a God- accept."5 This is vital to our under study. ordained function of the law, so that standing of the movement from the we may realize our need of God's "old" to the "new" in the develop The Bible came from God to grace through Christ. Paul develops ment of God's relationship with His humans, from those this theme again in Romans 5 (see people. prophets to a written record, verses 20, 21). Romans 10:4 is one of the funda from the book to our minds, It is very important to note that mental theses of Paul's theology and from our thoughts to Paul's main focus is on the Ten concerning the relation of Christ and our lives. Commandments, for he quotes the the law.6 Paul was convinced that Revelation: What the Bible is. tenth commandment in Romans 7:7, Israel had misunderstood the law of and several others in 13:9. To use the Moses, because it "did not submit to Inspiration: How we received moral law, however, as a thermometer God's righteousness" (10:3). He there it as God's book—the words of our own law keeping before God is fore appealed to Moses' Deuteronomy of the authors under God's a serious misuse of the law, because it to prove that from the start, the God- leading. rejects the need for God's grace for our ordained purpose of the Torah was the Illumination: Light on eternal justification. Rejection of God's grace "righteousness that is by faith": "'the subjects as the Holy Spirit is just as much a sin as rejection of His word is near you; it is in your mouth brings clarity and increases law! and in your heart,' that is, the word of our understanding. faith we are proclaiming" (Rom. 10:8, Application: How we use the Law as Torah cf. Deut. 30:14). Bible which is written to be Paul also uses the term "law" in Thus Paul gives the Torah-freighted believed and to shape our the broader sense of the Torah of heart of Deuteronomy 30 a Christ- behaviour. Moses, as in Romans 3:21, where he centered content, by filling the speaks of the "Law and the Prophets." "mouth" with the confession that —W. A. Townend Paul considers the law of Moses in its "Jesus is Lord [Kyrios]," and the entirety as a preparation for the "heart" with the belief that "God gospel of God's redeeming grace: raised him from the dead." "Christ is the end [goal] of the law, so Paul then moves on in Romans that there may be righteousness for 10:9, 10, to apply Moses' words to the everyone who believes" (Rom. 10:4). gospel truth that the Christ-believer is your church's spiritual life Badenas, in his doctoral disserta now being saved through justifica tion on Romans 10:4, concludes that tion by faith in Jesus.
February 2004 MINISTRY 23 The proper place of law in does not say that. He says that love being "under grace," namely, to be relation to grace fulfills the law, and "the entire law is under the dominion of sin in our life. Paul is convinced that salvation summed up in a single command: Note the apostle's parallel state cannot come from observing the law. 'Love your neighbor as yourself" ments in Romans and Galatians: "By the works of the law shall no (Gal. 5:14, emphasis supplied). To the "For sin shall not be your master, flesh be justified" (Gal. 2:16, KJV; see apostle, love does not make God's law because you are not under law, but also 3:10, 21). Paul's theology of law superfluous, but rather love is the under grace" (Rom. 6:14). and grace is well expressed in divine intention of the law, just as "But if you are led by the Spirit, you Galatians 2:21: "I do not set aside the Jesus had explained in the Sermon on are not under law" (Gal. 5:18, empha grace of God, for if righteousness the Mount (Matt. 5:43-48). sis supplied). could be gained through the law, Comparing both, we see that to be Christ died for nothing." Not under the law "under grace" is synonymous with to Paul is making an absolute contrast Paul's statement in Romans 6:14 be "led by the Spirit." Being led by here. Is it the contrast of law and ("For sin shall not be your master, the Spirit implies a Spirit-led obedience grace? Or is it the irreconcilable because you are not under law, but to the Redeemer. antithesis of righteousness through the under grace") deserves special atten Paul urges the believers to realize law and righteousness through God's tion because it is frequently misinter that they have changed "lordships" in grace? Paul does not state that grace preted in popular evangelical their conversion experience. They are has set aside the law, but rather that it literature. The word "for" indicates no longer "slaves to sin" but commit has set aside the prevailing tradition of that Paul draws a conclusion from his ted "slaves to obedience, which leads "righteousness [coming] through the previous statement, "Therefore do not to righteousness" (Rom. 6:6, 15-18). law." let sin reign in your mortal body, so To be "in Christ" means to be Paul's theology placed two differ that you obey its evil desires" (6:12). "under Christ's law" (1 Cor. 9:21), ent ways of salvation in contrast to Paul makes this exhortation on the which is equivalent to the "keeping each other: salvation through the law basis of the believer's transforming of God's commandments" (1 Cor. and salvation through grace! He experience signified by "baptism into 7:19), so that "the righteous require explains: "You who are trying to be Christ Jesus" (6:1-7). Romans 6 ments of the law might be fully met justified by law have been alienated answers the ever challenging ques in us, who do not live according to from Christ; you have fallen away tion, "Shall we go on sinning so that the sinful nature but according to the from grace" (Gal. 5:4, emphasis sup grace may increase?" (6:1). Spirit" (Rom. 8:4). plied). The issue is clearly about the Romans 6 deals with the role of This is the genuine new-covenant misuse of the law in Judaism, about the law in our sanctified life! Paul experience through Christ's ministry employing it as the way to obtain sal begins by contrasting the reign of law of the Holy Spirit. vation, as Paul himself believed when over against the reign of grace. Many he was within Pharisaic Judaism (see have taken the statement—"you are Paul and the Old Covenant Phil. 3:6-9). not under law but under grace"—to Two passages of Paul—Galatians On the basis of justification by mean an abolishing of the authority 4:21-31 and 2 Corinthians 3—seem grace through faith in Christ, Paul pro- of the law over the Christian believer. to denounce the Mosaic covenant as ceeds to mention the fruits of But look at the context. Paul's a covenant of works, and therefore in justification, such as peace with God, antithesis of being "under law" or of radical contrast with the new joy in the new access to God, hope in being "under grace" indicates two con covenant of salvation by grace sharing the glory of God, and the trasting positions: to be under the through faith in Christ. Each passage experience of God's Spirit of love in power of condemnation for those who must be understood in its own liter the heart of the believer (see Rom. 5:1, are outside of Christ, or to be under ary and historical context. 2,5). the reign of justification for those in The Galatian passage: The conflict Further, Paul writes to the justified Christ. in the Galatian church was not believers that their love for God and Thus, if context—not precon between Jews and Christians, but was their neighbor fulfills the law, because ceived doctrinal consideration—is an intra-Christian dispute between "love is the fulfillment of the law" taken as our interpretative guide, any two kinds of early Christian missions (Rom. 13:10, emphasis supplied). problem one might see in Romans to the Gentiles. The apostle does not And again: "But if you are led by the 6:14 simply disappears. To be "under direct his critique against the syna Spirit, you are not under law" (Gal. grace" means to be under the reign of gogue, but against "the false 5:18, emphasis supplied). Christ to live a life in "righteousness," brethren" who had "disturbed" the From this some have concluded as Paul states in 5:21. To be "under Galatian churches (Gal. 1:7; 2:4). that love replaced the law, but Paul law" means clearly the opposite of The exact identity of these "false
24 MINISTRY February 2004 brethren" is unknown. E. G. White a lesson that may correct their law covenant into a covenant of rituals to describes them as "the emissaries of orientation and nomistic lifestyle, achieve salvation, a distortion that Judaism," who "induced . . . [the and to follow again Christ and His amounts to enslavement to ceremo Galatian believers] to return to the interpretation of the Torah. He asks nial observances of the Mosaic law. observance of the ceremonial law as them, "Do you not hear the law?" Such a self-made covenant misrepre essential to salvation."7 (4:21, NKJV). Paul uses the term sents the Abrahamic covenant, Paul's burden foi the Gentile "law" here for all the Scriptures of because the Sinaitic covenant is none Christians was to deliver them from Moses and the Prophets. He tries to other than a renewal of God's the false teaching that they should show the proper use of the Torah, by covenant with Abraham. The "Hagar" observe the Mosaic ritual law in order interpreting some passages from covenant is therefore an illegitimate to gain acceptance with God and Moses about the true Israel. Paul covenant (of works) before God. Paul receive His Spirit. The intruding begins with the story of Abraham and calls this falsification of the Mosaic Jewish Christian missionaries appar his wife Sarah and slave girl Hagar, covenant the "Hagar" relationship, ently taught that circumcision was focusing on the birth of their sons stating: "One covenant is from Mount still required in order to enter into the (Gen.16-21), "one by the slave Sinai and bears children who are Abrahamic covenant, and that every woman and the other by the free slaves: This is Hagar," who "corre person must live a life under the Tbrah woman" (4:21, 22). sponds to the present city of to become a legitimate child and heir Paul turns to the different way each Jerusalem, because she is in slavery of Abraham. son was born: one was born "according with her children" (4:24, 25). To these men, the law was still the to the flesh" (NRSV), the other was Paul designates the Sinai covenant necessary tool to become victorious born "through the promise" (4:23). The here as bringing Israel into slavery, over one's sin and to inherit the bless two mothers are representations of which was of course a travesty of God's ing of the Spirit promised to Abraham. "two covenants." This conclusion is purpose with Israel. It is clearly a fun Paul's contention with these rival introduced by the apostle himself, damental error to elevate the missionaries was not primarily their because Genesis 16-21 do not refer to counterfeit of the Mosaic covenant ceremonial observances but their the a Hagar covenant or a Sinai covenant! into a legitimate dispensation of God's ology of salvation: "You who are This fact should alert us that Paul is plan of salvation. Moses had earnestly trying to be justified by law Have working out his interpretation from warned Israel against seeking their been alienated from Christ; you have present developments in Galatia back righteousness by works of law (see fallen away from grace!" (Gal. 5:4). to the Genesis story. Paul shows that Deut. 9:4, 6). And Hebrews 11 testifies And further, Paul objected to their there has developed within the apos to the fact that the saints of the Mosaic claim that observance of the law will tolic church a misuse of the Mosaic covenant experienced righteousness result in the Spirit manifestations covenant, the turning of the Sinai by faith in the promise, just as Abram among the Gentiles (Gal. 3:2, 5). J. Louis Martyn comments: "They [the Addresses, books, churches, competing teachers in Galatia] neces church products, event sarily view God's Christ in the light of information, materials, God's Law, rather than the Law in the ministry ideas, musicians, light of Christ, and this meant that Christ is secondary to the Law."8 This organizations, radio and tv secondary place of Christ was the rea broadcast times, speakers, son that their message, according to statistics, and much more! Longenecker, was "one of both legal- On the web: ism fof full salvation and nomism for www.plusline.org Christian living."9 On the phone: Paul warns His converts that "to be 1-800-732-7587 under the law" (3:1) is in fact turning (Live support) to a "different gospel," one that "per verted the gospel of Christ" (1:6-9). For Paul, the expression "to be under law" meant to be in a state of con finement and slavery or bondage (3:23; 4:25) from which one needs to be liberated (4:5; 5:18). He challenges the Galatians to learn from the Torah
February 2004 MINISTRY 25 had received it (Gen. 15:6). and the new covenant ministries, in empowers us to obey God's will from Paul apparently takes the Mosaic order to illustrate the superior effec a willing heart. All spiritual Israelites covenant as it was used by his oppo tiveness of his apostolic ministry. have enjoyed such a new-covenant nents, legalistically and without The apostle claims that "through experience, as their testimonies in regard to Christ, for his polemical Christ" he has the empowerment and Psalms 1, 19, 40, 51, and 119 affirm. purpose. He refutes his opponents by the competency to be one of the Paul calls his ministry a ministry of distinguishing the law from the "ministers of a new covenant, not of the Spirit and of righteousness. It brings promise, as he had done earlier in the letter but of the Spirit; for the let freedom from the condemnation of Galatians 3:17, 21. Calvin accurately ter kills, but the Spirit gives life" the law (Rom. 8:1, 33, 34), and describes Paul's use of the Sinai law in (2 Cor. 3:6). He then compares his prompts to a sanctified life in true dis- Galatians 4 as "the bare law in a nar gospel ministry with that of the "old" cipleship of Christ (see Rom. 6:12-21; row sense." 10 Cranfield explains: covenant that "brought death, which 7:6; 8:4,14-17). Such a walk with God "This 'bare law' (nuda lex) understood was engraved in letters on stone" and is the greater glory of the new 'in a narrow sense' is not the law in only possessed a "fading" glory on covenant age, and is valid for all eter the fulness and wholeness of its true Moses' face (3:7, 8). The question nity! Paul used the term old covenant character, but the law as seen apart rises, Why did Paul describe the to underline the outdated character from Christ"11 Mosaic covenant ministry as "the of the Mosaic dispensation as it was The Corinthian passage. Some have ministry that brought death" administered in his day with its argued that Paul announces in although it came with a glorious Christless law orientation. 2 Corinthians 3 a covenant that splendor, too bright for Israel to Paul claims that he has received would completely replace God's behold, while his "ministry of the the "more glorious ministry" of the covenant with Israel, with the impli Spirit" is much more glorious because Spirit that effectively "gives life" and cation that even the Ten Command it "brings righteousness" (verses 7-9)? "brings righteousness"! (2 Cor. 3:6, 9). ments and the seventh-day Sabbath Paul deals here with the Mosaic Through the Spirit we receive "the stand abandoned. But consider the covenant in its administration "of the light of the knowledge of the glory of historical context of the passage. letter" without the life-giving Spirit! So God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). The Corinthian church members what Paul is dealing with is the This new revelation of God's glory in were confused by the agitations of Pharisaic reduction of the Mosaic Christ can be perceived only by a some intruding Jewish-Christian mis covenant to a mere "letter" service of faith relationship with Christ, by sionaries from Jerusalem. They were the law. In sharp contrast with this turning to Christ Himself (2 Cor. Judaizers similar to the ones who legalistic performance, Paul views the 3:14). Paul was not arguing against caused problems in Galatia. These gospel as one that has the "surpassing Moses or the Mosaic covenant but missionaries accused Paul of lacking glory" of Christ and of His Spirit against the "false apostles" who were apostolic authority and preaching a (verse 10), in order to bring forth in "reading the old covenant" with "the gospel of his own making. the Christian the fruit of "righteous same veil" over their hearts as Moses It seems that many in the church ness" (verses 9, 15-17). had put over his radiant face when at Corinth were losing confidence in Paul insists that the law as such the Israelites "were afraid to come to Paul as a true apostle. Consequently, does not provide life or righteousness him" (Exod. 34:30). Paul wrote that Paul takes issue with the false accusers but rather condemns each transgres the "veil" that prevented their under in chapters 10-12. The issues are not sor to death (Rom. 3:21, 23; 6:23). He standing of the old covenant was only the adequacy of Paul's apostle- explains both the goodness and the "even to this day" a veil that "covers ship, but also the truthfulness of death-bringing function of the their hearts" (2 Cor. 3:15). He there Paul's gospel message (2:17-4:6). Paul Decalogue as follows: "I found that fore urged: "But whenever anyone illustrates the superiority of the new the very commandment that was turns to the Lord, the veil is taken covenant of Christ by an ever- intended to bring life, actually away" (2 Cor. 3:16). Christ alone sharpening contrast with the Jewish brought death" (Rom. 7:10). The con gives the spiritual understanding of ministry of the Mosaic covenant. He demning function of the law for sin the old covenant. contrasts his ministry of the Spirit ners is necessary to reveal the To understand the conflict situation with the Jewish effort to attain salva indispensability of God's continuing in Corinth, we need to see that Paul tion through law-obedience. The grace and guidance. But the was opposing Christian Judaizers, who main theme of 2 Corinthians 3:1 to Decalogue can never give that grace to remained law-oriented more than 4:6 is therefore not a full-fledged doc sinners! The new covenant, however, Christ-oriented. His opponents still trine of the covenants, but Paul's brings the forgiving grace of God and cherished their old-covenant observ defense of his apostolic authority. the life-giving Spirit who writes the ances, to which Christ was secondary. However, Paul does compare the old law of God on the human heart and Or, to say it more specifically, His
26 MINISTRY February 2004 opponents were taking the law of God character (Exod. 34:28). Paul applied more Christlike! After all, the goal of by itself, disconnected from Christ's Exodus 34:29-35 to his blinded oppo justification is sanctification—"until priestly ministry in the heavenly sanc nents. The reason why Moses was Christ is formed in you" (Gal. 4:19). tuary. For them the law remained only asked to put a veil on his face was This transforming process silently chiseled on tablets of stone in the Israel's conscious guilt and sense of changes the soul after the "new stand earthly tabernacle. divine displeasure after their worship ard" of Christ. "The natural inclina of the golden calf. Had they been tions are softened and subdued. New The new standard of obedient to God, the heavenly glory thoughts, new feelings, new motives, Christlikeness on Moses' face "would have filled are implanted. A new standard of Paul develops his theme even them with joy. There is fear in guilt."12 character is set up—the life of more dramatically by dwelling on the Theologically speaking, a veiled law Christ."13 m event of Moses' unbearable radiance is a law divorced from the Lawgiver! \ David H. Ropei, Nw Covenant in the Old Testament (Waco, Tex.: that radiated from his face, after he But the glory of the gospel surpasses Word Books, 1976), 11, 12. had been talking "face to face" with the glory of the Sinaitic covenant, 2 C. E. B. Cranfield, The Epistle to the Romans (ICC. Edinburgh: dark, 1979), 2:853. God on Mount Sinai for 40 days and because the gospel does not veil the 3 Robert Badenas, Christ: The End of the Law 0SNT, Suppl. Series nights (Exod. 33, 34). glory of God but increases its trans 10, University of Sheffield, England, 1985), 149. 4 Ibid, 149. Moses asked God to show him His forming effect in the believer. The 5 Ibid, 151. divine "glory" (Exod. 33:18). God reason is that the Christian believer 6 Cranfield, 515-520, 848. 7 Ellen G. White, in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary agreed to show Moses His essential approaches the immediate presence (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1957), 6:1108. character of compassion, grace, and of God. 8 J. Louis Martyn, in Scottish Journal of Theology (1985) 38:316. mercy (verse 19), but said: "You can 9 Richard N. Longenecber, Galatians (Waco, Tex.: Word Books, Beholding day by day the glory of 41,1990), xcviii. not see my face: for no one shall see God in Christ, the believer is 10 John Calvin, Institutes (Philadelphia, Pa.: Westminster Press, LCC 20, 1967), 11:7, 2. me and live" (verse 20). God placed "changed" from glory to glory. In this 11 Cranfield, 859. Moses in a cleft of the rock and gave transformation the Christian sur 12 White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press®, 1913), 330. him a newly written copy of the Ten passes the fading glory of Moses. The 13 ———, Christ's Object Lessons (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press®, Commandments as a transcript of His Christian is called to grow more and
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February 2004 MINISTRY 27 22-28). The sequence is always the same: sin, investigation, and judgment.1 The concept of a pre-Advent, investigative judgment appears also in the New Testament. The parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 is a prime example. "When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment" (Matt. 22:11, NKJV). The king's inspection of the guests represents a process of investigation. The result of this investigation determined who of the guests could remain and who The pre-Advent could not. In this sense it is a picture of the investigative, pre-Advent judgment in heaven going on now. judgment: fact Other New Testament texts that presuppose a pre-Advent judgment are John 5:28, 29, where John mentions a resurrection for life or fiction? (pan 2) and a resurrection for condemnation, and Revelation 20:4-6. Most biblical exegetes agree that Revelation 20 teaches two literal resurrec tions of the dead, separated by one thousand Editorial Note: The first in this two-part series years. Inasmuch as only the "blessed and Gerhard Pfandl appeared in the December 2003 issue of Ministry. holy" come up in the first resurrection, a prior judgment must have taken place to determine eventh-day Adventists believe that who will take part in the first resurrection. the judgment in Daniel 7 is a pre- The Lutheran theologian Joseph A. Seiss Advent, investigative judgment. Is recognized this and wrote, "The resurrection, this concept scriptural or an unbibli- and the changes which pass in the twinkling cal Adventist fiction? of an eye upon the living, are themselves the fruits and embodiments of antecedent judg sThe investigative judgment concept ment. They are the consequences of adjudica throughout Scripture tions then already made. Strictly speaking, Right from the beginning of God's dealing men are neither raised nor translated, in order with fallen humanity in Genesis 3, a pattern of to come to judgment. Resurrections and trans judicial procedure emerges. First comes the lations are products of judgment previously investigation: "Where are you?" "Who told passed upon the dead as dead, and upon the you?" "Have you eaten of the tree?" (Gen. 3:9- quick as quick. The dead in Christ shall rise 13). Following this investigation God first, because they are already adjudged to be announces the verdict in verses 14-19. We find in Christ, and the living saints are caught up a similar divine approach in God's dealings together with them to the clouds, because with Cain (Gen. 4:9, 12) and in His handling they are already adjudged to be saints, and of the Sodom and Gomorrah incident. It is sig worthy to attain that world."2 nificant that the New Testament projects the In Revelation 14, the harvest of the earth is judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah as an preceded by the first angel's message, "Fear "example," or a "type," of God's judgment at God and give glory to Him, for the hour of the end (2 Pet. 2:6 and Jude 7). Most of His judgment has come" (Rev. 14:7, NKJV). Genesis 18 and 19 describes God's investiga The sequence of events portrayed in this Gerhard Pfandl, tions and deliberations before a punitive chapter clearly indicate that the judgment Ph.D., is an associate director of action on His part. spoken of in 14:7 precedes the execution of the Biblical Research In the writings of Israel's prophets, Israel or the judgment at Christ's second advent Institute of the the nations are arrayed before God's judg described in verses 14-20.3 General Conference ment seat. An investigation is made, facts are Thus throughout Scripture we find the of Seventh-day stated, witnesses are called upon, and finally a concept of an investigative judgment before Advent/sts. verdict is pronounced (e.g., Isa. 5:1-7; 43:8-13, the Second Advent.
28 MINISTRY February 2004 The judgment in Daniel 7 are found in verses 9, 14, 21, 22, and 69:28), the "book of remembrance" Daniel 7 consists essentially of a 26. Because the actions of the little (e.g., Mal. 3:16), and to God's "book" vision, its interpretation, and the horn clearly intersect and, for a time (e.g., Exod. 32:32; Ps. 56:8). The same prophet's reaction to the vision. It is at least, coincide with the heavenly thought occurs in the literature of framed by a prologue (verses 1, 2a) judgment, this judgment cannot be later Judaism and in the New and an epilogue (verse 28). The vision the final judgment of Revelation 20. Testament (e.g., 1 Enoch 47:3; Phil. (verses 2-14) depicts four beasts, with Rather it must be a preliminary judg 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 20:12; 21:27). The the focus on the fourth beast, which ment going on in heaven before the important question is, who is being has ten horns out of which arises Second Advent, as Seventh-day judged from the records in these another little horn. This little horn Adventists have always believed. books? From the context we conclude becomes the main opposition to the This has been recognized by a that this judgment includes: "Most High" and the saints in the rest number of non-Adventist commenta 1. God's people. Because "a judg of the chapter. tors: The Roman Catholic author F. ment was made in favor of the saints While the activities of the little Diisterwald, for example, wrote, of the Most High" (Dan. 7:22, NKJV), horn continue here on earth, Daniel's "Without question, the prophet they must be in some way the subject attention is drawn to a heavenly Daniel here describes God's judgment of this judgment. This fact is not rec judgment scene (verses 9-14) in concerning the hostile powers. The ognized outside of the Seventh-day which the little horn is condemned, judgment ends with the total con Adventist Church, though this the saints are vindicated, and domin demnation of the world empires and should not surprise us. Because most ion, glory, and a kingdom are given the triumph of the cause of God. Christians believe in the immortality to "one like the Son of Man."4 However, what is described here is not of the soul, they believe that a per The judgment passage in Daniel as many older interpreters (Theodoret son's future state is decided the 7:9-14 contains three scenes: (1) a and others) have assumed the general moment when he or she dies. judgment in heaven in verses 9 and judgment of the world, it is not God's A pre-Advent judgment, therefore, 10; (2) the end of the fourth beast, judgment here on earth, rather the in which a final decision is rendered i.e., the outcome of the judgment in place of the judgment is in heaven. as to whether a person is saved or not, verses 11 and 12; and (3) the recep The context indicates, that it is a pre does not make sense to them. They tion of the kingdom by a Son of Man liminary judgment which is later see the dead already in heaven or hell (Christ) in verses 13 and 14. confirmed in the general judgment of (or purgatory for Roman Catholics). It is important to recognize that the world."5 2. The little horn. The context of the this judgment is going on while the The Protestant interpreter T. judgment scene repeatedly refers to little horn is active on the earth. At Robinson saw this judgment sitting the little horn (verses 8,11). The judg the end of verse 8, Daniel hears the during the nineteenth century when ment, therefore, must somehow also "pompous words" of the little horn. he wrote his commentary on Daniel. involve the little horn. "Internal con Then his attention is diverted to the He said, "As already observed, this is textual evidence suggests that the heavenly judgment scene (verses 9, not the general judgment at the ter saints and the little horn share equally 10). But after describing the judg mination of Christ's reign on earth, in the pre-Advent judgment ver ment scene, Daniel's attention is or, as the phrase is commonly under dict"7—the saints in the sense that again arrested by the great words stood, the end of the world. It appears they receive the kingdom (verse 27) which the horn spoke. The text says rather to be an invisible judgment car and the little horn in that dominion is "at that time," that is, while he was ried on within the veil and revealed taken away from it. Thus the vindica beholding the heavenly assize, this by its effects and the execution of its tion of the saints (verse 22) implies the speaking—with great words—took sentence. As occasioned by the 'great condemnation of the little horn. place here on earth. words' of the Little Horn and followed Having dealt with the little horn by the taking away of his dominion, it The purpose of the pre- and the beasts, whose dominions had might seem to have already sat. As, Advent judgment been taken away while their lives however, the sentence is not yet by The primary purpose for the inves were prolonged here on earth (verses any means fully executed, it may be tigative pre-Advent judgment is the 11, 12), the vision returns to the sitting now."6 final confirmation of salvation and heavenly realm and the ultimate tri vindication of God's people (7:22). umph of God's plan (verses 13, 14). Who is being judged? "From time to time some of these In this judgment scene books are saints have been ajudged guilty of The time of the judgment opened and studied (verse 10). In the various crimes by earthly tribunals Three passages in Daniel 7 refer Old Testament we find references to when actually they were serving God specifically to the judgment. These the "book of the living" (e.g., Ps. continued on page 38
February 2004 MINISTRY 29 what has tended to keep Adventists separate have been issues related to the seventh-day Sabbath, eschatology, lifestyle, and the use of Ellen White's writings. As a result of extensive dialogue in the 1950s between leading Evangelicals and key Adventist leaders, Adventists published Questions on Doctrine (1957), seeking, among other things, to demonstrate to the larger Christian world on biblical grounds that we are indeed part of Christianity proper and not a cultic deviation.1 In response, Walter Martin, speaking for many Evangelicals, published The Truth about Seventh-day Adventism (1960), in which he admitted (somewhat reluctantly) Response to that Adventists really are brothers and sisters in Christ. In reality, some Adventists were very unhappy with what they considered regret Dale Ratzlaff table "concessions" in Questions on Doctrine, just as some Evangelicals today remain uncon vinced that Adventists are truly Christian. In the early 1980s, crucial issues in this ince shortly after the middle of the long-standing debate within Adventism sur Alden Thompson twentieth century, Seventh-day faced again in conjunction with the Adventists have been in sporadic challenges presented by Adventist theologian and sometimes painful dialogue Desmond Ford. While reflecting many evan with the Evangelical community. gelical impulses, including a strong emphasis SInfluenced by the Fundamentalist move on justification, Ford himself has remained ment, many Evangelicals still hold to the committed to the seventh-day Sabbath. doctrine of biblical "inerrancy," though dif Others, however, have gone further, separat fering widely in their definitions. With ing themselves from the Seventh-day notable exceptions, Evangelicals have been Adventist Church and adopting a "new predestinarian in their theology, standing in covenant" theology that excludes the Sabbath the Calvinist tradition, thus emphasizing command on the grounds that it is ritual, not divine sovereignty and other evangelical moral, and finds its terminus in the Person of tenets such as justification, grace, and the Jesus. They do this while still advocating a security of the believer. Besides this, there are high moral standard, a "righteousness beyond many Evangelicals who are dispensationalist the law." in their outlook, claiming a discontinuity Adventists would agree whole-heartedly between the old and the new covenants. that the New Testament (for example, Jesus' By contrast, Adventists stand closer to the comparisons between the old and the new in Arminian/Wesleyan tradition, with a strong the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5) emphasis on human freedom and responsi teaches a morality far exceeding the basic bility, sanctification and obedience. Sinai commands. The crucial question, of Evangelicals have taken issue with Adventism course, is whether the Sabbath is included in over our sanctuary doctrine and our use of Jesus' moral vision or is set aside as ritual. Ellen White as an extrabiblical authority. And In 1989, responding to these and other they have chided us for our unhealthy ten issues, a former Adventist pastor, Dale Alden Thompson, dencies toward legalism and perfectionism. Ratzlaff, published Sabbath in Crisis, now reis Ph.D., is professor of For all the differences, however, Adventists sued in a revised edition as Sabbath in Christ biblical studies at Walla Walla College. and Evangelicals still hold much in common, (2003). In 1996 he published The Cultic College Place, sharing key elements of "conservative" Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventists.2 In 1998, six Washington. Christianity: the divinity of Christ, His incar former Adventist pastors3 collaborated in a nation and bodily resurrection, the atone video entitled Seventh-day Adventism: The ment, and the Advent hope itself. Some of Spirit Behind the Church.* Strongly implying
30 MINISTRY February 2004 that Adventism really is a cult after Sabbath in Christ succinctly states tunity to talk with you by phone. I all, the video especially criticizes the Ratzlaff's opinion that the old suspect we could have lengthened the ministry of Ellen White and the clus covenant meant "physical rest," and conversation considerably. My own ter of doctrines that grew out of the the new offers the "rest of grace."6 The "Arminian-Wesleyan" experience 1844 disappointment experience. Sabbath, as a command to keep holy would differ from yours in several Perhaps most surprising is that some the seventh day of each week, simply ways, I suspect. But I have become former Adventist pastors were willing does not apply to Christians because it increasingly concerned that the to identify themselves, perhaps unin is ritual, not moral. Commenting on Adventist emphasis on human free tentionally in some instances, with a the Sabbath miracle at Bethesda (John dom and responsibility makes it more video that criticizes Adventists for 5), he says: "Christ considered the difficult for us to give proper recogni rejecting the doctrine of an eternally Sabbath to be a ritual law that pointed tion to divine sovereignty and grace. burning hell. forward to the rest He would bring That's part of the reason why your When I saw the video, I was trou and now it had little, if any, value."7 writings and the video are of such bled by what I considered to be its In our conversations, Ratzlaff has high interest to me. misleading representation of Advent- repeatedly expressed his amazement As I see it, however, the Evangelical/ ism. So I asked Dave Thomas, pastor at my deep appreciation for the writ Reformed tradition finds it more diffi of the College Place Seventh-day ings and ministry of Ellen White. He cult to make peace with the critical Adventist Church (now Dean of the pointedly states that his relationship issues which our increasingly secular School of Theology at Walla Walla with God improved significantly age presses upon us. One of my doc College), if he would collaborate on a when he quit reading Ellen White. toral mentors, for example, became an response to the video. The result was My own experience with Ellen Evangelical Christian in his teen years, an hour-long video dialogue.5 White has been quite different. By but lost his faith when continuing The letter that follows is a revision helping me make peace with diversity studies undermined his "inerrancy" of one that I sent to Dale Ratzlaff in and change, the two features of view of Scripture. April 2001 and further revised after Scripture that are often so trouble What struck me about the video he responded to it. The letter was trig some for devout conservatives, Ellen was that virtually every criticism lev gered by a telephone conversation White has played a crucial role in nur eled against Ellen White and with him when I called his 800 num turing in my soul an enduring faith in Adventism can be paralleled with sim ber to order several books and copies God and in Scripture as God's Word. ilar critical attacks against Scripture of the original video. Our conversa So, with reference to Sabbath, to and Christianity: there is at least as tion at that time was informative, Adventism as a community, and to much to question in Scripture from a candid, and cordial. I promised to the writings of Ellen White, Ratzlaff "scientific" point of view as there is in send him a letter addressing several of and I differ significantly. It is a great the work of Mrs.White. Scripture cer the issues we had discussed by phone. sadness for me that any conscientious tainly contains (conditional) predic In subsequent contacts Ratzlaff has believer would feel the need to leave tions which did not come to pass; and made it clear that he does not iden Adventism, and Ratzlaff is clear that the "great disappointment" with its tify with all the positions represented he left for reasons of conscience. aftermath shows striking parallels in the video Seventh-day Adventism: Ironically, I know that I must stay, with that earlier "great disappoint The Spirit Behind the Church. In also for reasons of conscience. ment" which nearly crushed Jesus' particular, he would take a more So what happens when we consci disciples. nuanced approach to traditional entiously disagree? For my part, I find When, at my request, my earlier- evangelical positions on divine sover it helpful to remember Ellen White's mentioned believer-turned-atheist eignty and predestination, a position counsel, originally given to A. T. mentor read and critiqued the manu that includes an element of free will. Jones, to "treat every man as honest" script of my book, Who's Afraid of the As for hell, Ratzlaff is ambivalent. (6T, 122). That simply echoes the Old Testament God? two of his com In an email to me, he says that he teaching of Jesus: "In everything do ments struck me with particular force: does not want to be seen as a "pro to others as you would have them do 1. "As you would expect, the over moter" of the doctrine and argues that to you; for this is the law and the all argument of the book does not the true nature of "hell" or "eternal prophets" (Matt. 7:12, NRSV). convince me, though at a certain destruction" is "beyond human Here then is my recently edited let stage of my intellectual and spiritual understanding." Furthermore, he ter to Dale Ratzlaff: development I can see that it would believes that an effective, saving have considerably alleviated my proclamation of the gospel can be Letter: Thompson to Ratzlaff doubts." made without the threat of hellfire. April 23, 2001 2. "If I ever return to faith it will be As far as Sabbath is concerned, Dear Dale: I appreciated the oppor as a Jew and not as a Christian."
February 2004 MINISTRY 31 I could also add to the list of presents it as a grateful human Similarly marking a positive quotes his personal comment to me response to divine grace. approach to others is the counsel in conversation: "If I had maintained 2. Relations with other Christians. given in Gospel Workers on how to my devotional life, I never would When Adventism leaves a conscien work for others: "Speak to them, as have lost my faith." tious believer haunted with a sense of you have opportunity, upon points of Speaking specifically to your inter impossible demands, the discovery of doctrine on which you can agree. est in the "two covenants," I would gracious and buoyant evangelical Dwell on the necessity of practical want to point out that the "new" Christians who do have assurance of godliness. Give them evidence that covenant promise appears first in acceptance through Christ, raises sig you are a Christian, desiring peace Jeremiah, a promise to the people of nificant questions about the "truth" and that you love their souls. Let Jeremiah's day. In other words, it was of Adventism. "Remnant," "Babylon," them see that you are conscientious. an "Old Testament" experience as and "beast" can all become trouble Thus you will gain their confidence; well as a "New Testament" one. In some terms in this context. Here I find and there will be time enough for that same connection, when Jesus biblical models helpful. doctrines. Let the heart be won, the says in Matthew 5 that he came to A strident (sectarian?) separation soil prepared, and then sow the seed, "fulfill" the law, the context indicates seems to have been unavoidable at presenting in love the truth as it is in that he did not set the law aside, but crucial points in the experience of Jesus" (p. 120). "Come Out of her, my made it even more rigorous, more God's people: Israel and the people" (Rev. 18:4, NKJV) represents demanding. Egyptians; Israel and the Canaanites; quite a different perspective. Clearly Thus I would take quite a different Judaism in the days of Ezra- both are biblical, but circumstances approach than the one found in your Nehemiah; Christians and Jews in the and experience determine which chapter 14 in Sabbath in Crisis (219- days of Stephen. No wonder the Jews emphasis receives priority. I focus on 234, 2nd edition).8 At root, however, I stoned Stephen—just read his blunt the growth and development of Ellen surmise three key issues to be para speech in Acts 7! White's experience and theology as mount in the experience of those As for Adventism, events and cir part of the solution to these tensions. who leave Adventism for an evangel cumstances in the nineteenth 3. Sabbath: gift or test? Traditionally, ical community: century made the scenario outlined Adventists have linked Sabbath with 1. Assurance. Paul (most forcefully in the book The Great Controversy eschatology, emphasizing Sabbath as in Romans and Galatians) finds assur quite believable. But the book The a test, and hardly noting it as a gift. ance through a courtroom emphasis Desire of Ages points to a quite differ Thus if a monolithic view of Adventist with Jesus as the all-sufficient sacri ent approach to people, one that eschatology collapses for whatever fice and advocate on our behalf. That seeks first to affirm people for their reason, then the Sabbath goes with it. perspective comes clearest in the goodness rather than attack them for Quite frankly, I don't know how Reformed and Evangelical communi their evil. In this respect, the remark one can experience a joyous Sabbath ties. But the other New Testament able chapter 70 in The Desire of Ages gift if one thinks of it first of all as a road to assurance, perhaps more typi (637-641) is crucial. test—even though I would affirm that cal of Wesleyan communities, uses a In interpreting the parable of the the Sabbath is a test in a more subtle family emphasis or model. sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, way. If my wife were to insist that a It is nurtured by the Gospel and Ellen White notes that the judgment timely arrival in the evening is a Epistles of John and is best illustrated of the nations turns on "one point": "test" of our love, it would be difficult by Jesus' story of the prodigal son in "what they have done or have ne for me to return home with joy. The Luke 15. In that parable one finds glected to do for Him in the person of same applies to the Sabbath. grace and acceptance, to be sure; but the poor and the suffering" (p. 637). Ironically, just when former instead of an accent on the price paid She goes on to claim for God's king Adventists are jettisoning the at the divine initiative, the parable dom those among the heathen "who Sabbath, an increasing number of highlights the human decision to have cherished His principles," "who thoughtful Christians are casting return home to a loving and accepting have cherished the spirit of kindness" longing eyes at the idea of Sabbath Father. Some in Adventism have often (p. 638). Evangelicals often stumble and writing some very good things gotten the worst of both worlds, sug at that point, wanting to include only about Sabbath (e.g., Marva Dawn, gesting a demanding judge who waits those who have explicitly accepted Eugene Peterson), even if their view of to see if the prodigal son can do it Jesus Christ. Those heathen who are Sabbath does not include an emphasis right before granting him entrance to "good" in God's sight, the "good" on a specific day of the week. the welcome-home party. Salvation Moslem, the "good" atheist are all With reference to all of the above, by works is always a distortion of the excluded—in spite of what Romans the extent to which I am willing to truth. The biblical view of obedience 2:12-16 seems to make quite clear. continued on page 38
32 MINISTRY February 2004 PASTOR's PASTOR
Grafitti against the gospel lifford Goldstein, well-known to good news. Judgment is the full and readers of Ministry, and I dis final application of the gospel in our Ccussed his just-released new lives, the climax of the gospel, the book, Graffiti in the Holy of Holies (see acquittal that we have from Jesus now page 10). JAMES A. CRESS by faith becoming final and irrevocable. James Cress: A provocative title! Cress: Once-saved-always-saved? Clifford Goldstein: Yeah, it is. Too Goldstein: In a sense, Yes! After my bad it wasn©t mine. I submitted the name comes up in the judgment, and manuscript with no title because I had Jesus as my Substitute, my Surety, my none. Randy Maxwell of Pacific Press Sacrifice, my Mediator, and My advertising came up with the title a Friend stands in my place, pleading stroke of genius on his part. His perfect righteousness in my stead, I Cress: What does it mean? would be an emphasis on the destruc am once and forever saved. Up until the Goldstein: It©s just a graphic way of tion of the antichrist power as well. pre-Advent judgment, we can fa|l away, saying that the biblical doctrine of the Cress: The attacks specifically focus for salvation is always conditional. After sanctuary is under attack again. Others on Ellen White as well. Your response? "judgment is given in favor of the have assailed the concept in previous Goldstein: This is the heart of the saints," salvation is irrevocable. Talk years; this time a former minister has issue. Such attacks on so-called "cultic about good news! started a "ministry" aimed at Adventists. doctrines" could be summarized: Ellen Cress: So you©re saying that the judg Graffiti responds to these attacks which White endorsed the 2,300-day pro ment and the gospel are in harmony. decry as "cultic" the prophecy of Daniel phecy; the 2,300-day prophecy is Goldstein: Of course! What is the 8:14 which culminated in 1844 with the wrong; Ellen White, therefore, could not gospel? It©s good news. Good news initiation of the pre-Advent judgment be a true prophet. My response, simply, about what? Good news that Jesus died essentially, a no-holds-barred assault on refutes claims that the prophecy is for our sins and through faith in Him we the sanctuary and our understanding of wrong. Then, attacks based on this are covered by His righteousness. the prophetic ministry of Ellen White. premise fail. However, because these Otherwise we face eternal death. We all Cress: You wrote on this topic before? attacks (nothing really new, by the way) know John 3:16. We either get eternal Goldstein: Well, yes and no. Years spew out accusations against Ellen life or we perish. The good news is that ago I wrote a book, 1 844 Made Simple, White, I felt I had to address them. I through Jesus we don©t have to perish, a defense by a rather frenetic and rela came away strengthened in my appreci we don©t have to face eternal punish tively new believer. Since then, i have ation for her and her ministry. ment, eternal damnation. Now, what is learned much more that has only Cress: You said something about eternal damnation, or eternal punish increased my belief. These recent dealing with the gospel and the judg ment other than . . . what? attacks provided a golden opportunity ment. Cress: Judgment? to respond and to share many of the Goldstein: I think that some of the Goldstein: Precisely. So, regardless things that I have learned as my think attackers are victim of what I call "folk of whatever you believe about the tim ing expanded and matured. Adventism" popular misconceptions ing of the judgment, or the nature of Cress: What things are in your new about what we believe. Misconceptions the judgment, the whole idea of the book which you have learned? which are at odds with the gospel. gospel, the good news, is that we are Goldstein: Well, I©ve included a Cress: Such as. .. ? spared condemnation in judgment. whole section on the gospel and judg Goldstein: The idea that if you©re There must be a judgment; otherwise ment. The Old Testament idea of not absolutely sinless when your name what©s the good news about? So the judgment involved two factors: the vin comes up in judgment, then your name whole idea of the gospel contains with dication of the righteous and the is blotted out of the book of life and you in it the idea of judgment. There is no punishment of the wicked both ele will be forever lost even though you gospel without a judgment. ments. So it is not surprising that, in a remain unaware and keep trying to Cress: These thoughts all in Graffiti! depiction of the pre-Advent judgment, overcome, but it©s too late. This perverts Goldstein: Some will have to wait where the saints are vindicated, there the judgment because judgment is for the next book. Bl
February 2004 MINISTRY 33 encounter that saves, energizes, and renews the soul. The church desperately needs this kind of preaching. For want of it congrega tions are developing into social comfort groups of many hues, insulated against reality and the power and presence of Christ. Preaching in the contemporary pulpit can be subverted by PowerPoint presentations, ready-made sermons culled from the Internet, or plagiarizing from books or magazines. Congregations are starved for that encounter with God that preaching is designed to serve. Preaching with No preacher hits the target every time. Sometimes things go wrong, horribly wrong, despite our best efforts. Yet it is a fact that bib ERIC: Four lical preaching creates solid Christian experience. Anyone who has been under living gospel preaching knows the blessing they experi sermon essentials enced as a result. It moves men, women, and children toward God in a definite way. In a ministry of over 40 years, I have had reaching is not sermonizing or lec the privilege and joy of listening to and been Patrick Boyle turing, though sermonizing and blessed and saved by sermons from preachers lecturing are often substituted for, great and small. The late Dr. Martin Lloyd or understood to be, preaching. Jones, Billy Graham, James Stewart, and John These substitutes mean that con Stott are not alone in connecting the soul of Pgregations are often subjected to anything man with the heart of God. Relatively from twenty-five minutes to one hour of unknown ministers and pastors in churches human speech, empty of saving grace. This of all Christian traditions have, through their content can range from a display of intellectu Spirit-charged preaching, lifted countless al brilliance to banal haranguing devoid of thousands into the presence of God. This is any meaningful content. Congregations suf the ultimate reason for, and the goal of, true fer, endure, and sometimes find sleep the only Christian preaching. method of escape from this form of religious persecution! The elements of great preaching To be called of God to proclaim His saving Seventh-day Adventist congregations who truth in Christ Jesus is an incomparable privi have been blessed by preachers like Roy Alien lege, a privilege often unrecognized and Anderson, H. M. S. Richards, Norval Pease, and frequently squandered. The tragedy is not Charles Bradford know in their own lives the only that the worshipers are not fed but that power and influence of this kind of preaching. the opportunity for God's grace and power to The common element in all of these touch lives is wasted. The hour of worship preachers was the proclamation of the saving becomes at best a social experience with light grace and power of Jesus. Like Paul, they were entertainment and, more often, an exercise in gripped by grace and compelled to proclaim endurance. it. They communicated to congregations what they believed and experienced of God's What Christian preaching is and isn©t involvement in their own hearts and minds. Patrick Boyle is a Preaching has never been without its They moved others because they themselves retired pastor living detractors and critics. It never will be. But in were moved. in Watford, Hertsfordshire, its truest and best expression, gospel preach It is hardly likely that a preacher will England. ing lifts the human soul into the presence of always meet the needs of all his hearers. It is God. The preacher becomes the agent through also true that preaching that derives from the whom human need is connected to divine preacher's personal experience with God and power. God and humanity meet in a divine his fellow men and women has the greatest
34 MINISTRY February 2004 possibility of helping the greatest agement. When you actually reflect on sic parameters of existentialism will number who listen. the realities of your hearers, that they not be relevant to the soul battling All effective preaching has com come from all walks of life, you can with despair or depression. mon elements without which its easily grasp the idea that encourage In this respect a preacher needs to value is significantly decreased. ment—something specifically encour carefully watch that he or she does Preaching must come out of an ideol aging—will help most of them. not ride hobby horses. I know of one ogy that informs and influences how The sick will be encouraged. Parents preacher who preached on the topic and what the preacher believes and attempting to bring up children in the of music for 11 weeks in a quarter, delivers. Christian way will be encouraged. including the Communion service. This concept can be illustrated by Young people trying to work out what His irrelevance contributed to creating posing the opportunity a minister has to do with their lives will be encour a disturbed and critical congregation. who is invited to preach in a church aged. The elderly who may feel useless, Conversely, preaching that is relevant other than the one in which he min the unemployed, the chronically ill, makes for mature Christians who are isters. What does he preach about? the discouraged, each and every one of motivated to live Christianly. Let's say you have been invited to them will benefit from encourage Relevance and pastoral visitation preach to a congregation about ment, especially if it is born of the favor each other. A visiting pastor whom you have no personal knowl divine, finding its meaning and learns the needs of his congregation edge. What will you say that will bless authenticity in your own soul. by being with them in their homes. those to whom you are called to min Encouragement that comes to Andrew Blackwood wrote in an old ister? How can you reasonably expect them from the heart of God will lift volume: "A visiting minister makes a to connect them to God? them up and stiffen their resolve to churchgoing congregation."1 Visita Here is where an informing ideolo press on to better things. Encour tion also creates awareness in the pas gy or lack of it shows itself most agement creates hope and blesses the tor of the actual realities of human dramatically. A preacher must know soul of the hearer and the preacher. need. It helps the pastor as preacher to God, and he must understand men Nobody rejects encouragement or is be relevant in what he actually says in and women and their needs. These hurt or depressed by receiving it. the pulpit. elements come from his own grap Sermons must have an element of Visitation has another important pling with God's Word and his encouragement to be effective. aspect: It is an antidote to ministerial encounters with all classes through depression and malaise. Visitation visitation in their homes. Relevancy and contact with people in their What follows is a philosophy of It is fatally easy to preach irrele homes give pastors perspectives on preaching that has helped me avoid vant sermons. By irrelevant I mean reality that save us from an unhealthy the more serious excesses of poor sermons that do not scratch where self-centeredness. preaching. Though when I reflect on people itch. Regrettably, who has not the many sermons I have preached, I been a victim—preacher or wor Instruction and illustration cringe with shame and embarrass shiper—of this misfortune? No one is born with know-how. ment for my stupidity and lack of This fact came home to me some We learn by instruction, illustration, awareness of what I was doing. years ago when I was invited to teach imitation, application, and imple a Sabbath School class. The topic was mentation. Preaching must not only ERIC "Preparation for Marriage." The class encourage and be relevant but also Today when preparing any sermon, was a group of elderly ladies, some of help people to know how. The scope I write ERIC at the top of the page. whom were spinsters. Not one was of preaching is vast, and the average This acronym expresses an ideological under 70 years old. Mercifully, all of person in the pew will not know all approach to sermon preparation. It us saw the humor and the irrelevance the subject matter we will present to has helped save me from lecturing, of the topic in that particular setting! them. But our people need not only and much of the time from sermoniz But humor, not grace, enlivened to know but also to know how. ing. What it does is focus my mind on the study hour. Relevance was absent. How do I exercise faith? How do I what I should be doing. It stands for Preaching must address human repent and confess? What is the essential elements for a sermon: need with germane insight. It can meaning of the Lord's Supper? How encouragement, relevancy, instruc and does have other aspects, but it do I participate? How do I witness? tion/illustration, and Christ. must be relevant to those to whom it How am I to prepare for the return of is directed. An aspirin will not help a Jesus? How do I study God's Word to Encouragement man whose leg is going to be ampu understand it? How do I relate to hos Everyone benefits from encourage tated. Discussing the tassels on the tility? How do I live with confidence ment. No one is likely to reject encour high priest's robe or defining the clas and faith? How do I deal with doubt?
February 2004 MINISTRY 35 How do I exercise saving faith? People In the distant past when I went to only method, but it has guided one need guidance to know how, and college, we had a teacher, the late struggling preacher to understand instruction in our preaching helps George Keough, who required stu that preaching has one purpose and them come to know. dents in his classes on any subject to end: to connect the soul of human Thus, what people need is sermons read the book Gospel Workers. He beings with the heart of God in a sav with a how-to element in them. To invited us to memorize a variety of its ing experience. It is a wonderful privi assume our hearers understand as we passages. I bless him for his sagacity. lege, and it invites our best efforts to do is a mistake—in many cases they Some of these passages I have make it happen, fli do not, and we must instruct them never forgotten. I quote one that has how to learn to live the Christian life been invaluable to me: 1 Andrew Blackwood, Pastoral Work (Philadelphia: with faith and trust in their Lord. "The sacrifice of Christ as an Westminster Press, 1945), 220, 213. 2 Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers (Hagerstown, Md.: I think it was Spurgeon who said atonement for sin is the great truth Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1915), 315. "illustrations are like windows that around which all other truths cluster. let in light." In order to be rightly understood and The best illustrations come from appreciated, every truth in the word our personal experience and that of of God, frcm Genesis to Revelation, our church members, many of whom must be studied in the light that have incredible stories to tell. These streams from the cross of Calvary. I Covenants often come out in visitation. The illus present before you the great, grand continued from page 5 tration should do just that, illustrate. monument of mercy and regenera We need to avoid the smart quip tion, salvation and redemption—the Moral Law by their mention of the old or the gratuitously funny story that Son of God uplifted on the cross. This covenant made at Mount Sinai), and purposely sends congregations into is to be the foundation of every dis other passages are implying that the fits of laughter. While preaching is to course given by our ministers."2 standards of right and good, which are be intensely interesting, it is not Sermons must have Christ at the the transcript of God©s very character, entertainment. Humor has a place, center. Our duty and responsibility, were somehow abrogated in Jesus but it should never displace truth so but more our privilege, is to lift up Christ. Far from it. that the congregation remembers the Jesus before the people, to make Him But again, Hebrews is saying that the humor but not the truth. great in their hearts and minds. The partial, shadowy expressions of God©s reasons for this are obvious. Without character that came through the Christ Jesus there can be no salvation. There prophets, the sacrificial, priestly, and Christ in all the sermon. Of all the is no other way to get to God; He alone tabernacle services, and even through the indictments that may be leveled is the way to God. There are no alter handwriting of Cod on Sinai rock when He against preaching and preachers, the natives. As Peter expressed it, "There is gave the Moral Law to Moses were partial absence of Christ from their sermons salvation in no other" (Acts 4:12). and incomplete when compared to the is the most serious. Reflection on this When Jesus is presented in our perfect communication that came in the omission makes one lament. Of all preaching, what is proclaimed does living-Son-of-God expressions of |esus things, this omission is truly a failure. not fall on the ears and hearts of our Christ Himself as He exposed them in One colleague observed, "You can hearers as some kind of addendum, His life and teaching; He Himself being not get Christ into every single ser some sort of afterthought. Rather it the Architect and Author of the mon." I replied, "Then do not preach comes as the body and substance of covenant and the Law to begin with. that sermon." Sermons without Christ what we have to say and also of what Hebrews is saying that when Jesus are often nothing more than informa is essential to life well lived. Then sal Christ came, a much better, in fact a tion transfers, dry-as-dust harangues, vation becomes possible for men, perfect expression of God (Heb. 1:3) exercises in egoism, intellectual per women, boys, and girls. Without was placed before humanity. Jesus as a formances, or ill-constructed presen Him, nothing happens. With Him man was, of course, God. How then tations to fill in 30 minutes. souls are transformed, encouraged, could His living as a human among us We need to grasp the reality of energized, and uplifted; and they find be any more perfectly revelatory of God Christ's words: "Without Me you can freedom and joy, hope and courage. and of God©s will than it was? Indeed, do nothing" 0ohn 15:5, NKJV). This They become, in a word, Christians. what could be any more complete than specifically includes and applies to Preaching with ERIC—encourage such a manifestation? Certainly not preaching. Christ in all our preaching ment, relevance, illustration, and even the written version of the Ten is not an option, it is the nonnego- Christ—always carries with it the pos Commandments could claim such tiable essential that we dare not sibility of salvation. This informing completeness. Thus it must be said that neglect or omit. ideology has potential. It is not the the law of Cod and its moral precepts as
36 MINISTRY February 2004 they are lived out and expressed in the only in the light of the coming of the temple services, the sacrificial require person of ]esus Christ are the ultimate new. There is never an ethical or moral ments, and the priestly ministry of the antithesis of any kind of antinomianism. vacuum, but instead the ushering in of Hebrew-Jewish system. These are all Indeed, the new covenant is simply a higher standard than ever; this time promisor/ and anticipatory, iconic and the old covenant personified. And it is not written, but instead one that is alive symbolic. The Mosaic Code may also be personified by Cod in human form in with the ultimate quality of life. Thus seen to be specifically definitive for the the person of Jesus of Nazareth, Who the New Testament emphasis is not that particular social, cultural, and political was very Cod. This is not just a tran "we are no longer under the supervi life of Israel, rather than obviously uni script of God©s character, as was the Ten sion of the law [ceremonial and/or versal as in the case of the Moral Law. Commandments, but this is the Living moral]" (Gal. 3:25) but that we are now In the way Jesus acted and behaved, God Himself. under the superior supervision of Christ in all that He was, and in all that He This is what Jesus went to such Himself through the Holy Spirit (see taught and stood for, He fully expressed lengths to clarify in His sermon on the Gal. 3:21-25). the Moral Law to climactic perfection mount, when He said such things as This, and not the abrogation of the (see John 14:6-9), thus superceding its "Do not think that I have come to abol seventh-day Sabbath and other moral written expression. ish the Law or the Prophets; I have not principles, is what the New Testament is In this, Jesus obviously did not come to abolish them but to fulfill concentrating on as it elucidates the remove the Moral Law in any way, but them. I tell you the truth, until heaven effects of the life, death, and resurrection instead resoundingly confirmed it. and earth disappear, not the smallest of Jesus, and the installation of the "new When it came to the Mosaic Code, He letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will covenant." was the fulfillment of all. It had pointed by any means disappear from the Law This is what Paul is saying in pas forward to Him, so that there was no until everything is accomplished" sages such as 2 Corinthians 3:7-11. It is need for it to continue once He arrived. (Matt. 5:17, 18). And more pointedly: what the Messianic arrival was all about From start to finish, this is what the "You have heard that it was said, ©Do at its heart. In Jesus the truth about God book of Hebrews elucidates. not commit adultery [seventh com and moral rectitude are not abrogated, mand of the Decalogue].© But I tell you but instead they gloriously transcend In illustration that anyone who looks at a woman lust even God©s written, Siniatic, covenantal In all this it is helpful to ask the fol fully has already committed adultery expression. lowing illustrative questions: with her in his heart .. ." (verse 27). 4- In the end, which is a more Distinctions between Moral authoritative and complete expression Contradictions? and Ceremonial laws of a certain way of thinking or living: But there are Paul©s well known, Yet the distinction between the How that thinking is expressed in writ apparently contradictory statements: Moral and Ceremonial Laws must by all ten form in a book, or the arrival of the "Do we then make void the law through means be noted, even as it clearly is in author himself, coming in person to faith? God forbid, we establish it," and the Bible. magnify before us what he formerly "Christ is the end of the law ...," and The Moral Law rather obviously con wrote in his book? "Now that faith [or Christ] has come, we tains that which no society can do with f Does the arrival of the author annul are no longer under the supervision of out and still survive for any length of what the book has said? Absolutely not. the law." time. It addresses that which is "geneti The arrival of the author is entirely con How can we (or Paul) have it both cally" infrastructural to human life on sistent with the book, and His arrival ways: that the law ended in Christ and this earth, and thus by its nature it is resoundingly establishes and elucidates that it was at the same time established impossible to dismiss without mortally the book©s contents more comprehen in Him? How can such an apparent con wounding the human experience. By sively and thoroughly than ever. tradiction be? their nature the ten principles of the f What gives us a better sense of Here again the wonder of what God Decalogue and again, God intention what someone looks like or of what sort accomplished in Christ comes out clear ally includes the fourth in this setting of person they are, a photograph or ly, revealing to us that the arrival of the are by their nature indispensable to the even a video of them, or the living new in Christ elevates the old to such life of humanity as it has been created ongoing presence of the person in our completeness and maturity that we are by God and constituted on the earth. midst, so that we can in fact actually naturally constrained, even obliged, to None of this can truthfully be said of handle and touch and observe them let the old fade and to gladly embrace the Mosaic Code or the Ceremonial (1 John 1:1-4 and John 16:5-15)? the new; to let the old legal supervision Law. The Mosaic Code is that which by f What is of more value, a person©s of our souls go even as we embrace the its nature is prophetic of a new and skeleton or the living presence of that supervision of the living Christ Himself. greater revelation yet to come. This is person among us in an actual con There is the passing of the old, but clearly seen in the Hebrew tabernacle- scious flesh and blood body?
February 2004 MINISTRY 37 f What©s the best expression of a comes with the mother©s arrival on the Response to Dale mother©s requirements for her young scene of the sweeping and the dusting? daughter as she asks her to do the Ratzlaff cleaning of the house: the card the Conclusion continued from page 32 mother writes out in her own handwrit In Jesus, not only did the covenant modify traditional Adventism is ing outlining her ten-point cleaning shift from shadow to 3-D, but so did we. solidly rooted in Scripture, in my procedure, or the act of that mother What©s at the heart of the covenant study of Ellen White, and in my dropping what she is doing in the shift that occurred with the Messianic knowledge of Adventist history. kitchen and going out to become arrival of Jesus? Again, not the removal "Change," "growth," and "develop "incarnate" with her daughter, taking of any part of what is obviously abiding, ment" are all difficult words, espe the broom and the dustcloth herself holy, just, and good such as the sev cially for those drawn to the and doing the cleaning while her enth-day Sabbath, but instead the Evangelical and Reformed tradition daughter looks on and participates, so climactic, perfect, all-encompassing (as over against those in the that the girl can see what the handwrit covenantal communication of God©s Arminian and Wesleyan traditions). ten note meant to begin with? love in the living being of the Lord Jesus Particular end-time scenarios are + Does the mother©s active cleaning Christ, now ratified not in the blood of very fragile in Scripture. Dispensa- do away with what remains in writing, lambs, but in the blood of the Lamb of tional evangelicals (the true inheritors or does it in fact confirm more than ever God Himself. ISI of the Adventist love for a precise the written requirement, even while the series of end-time events) solve the written expression fades in the presence 1 All biblical quotes are taken from the New problem by projecting all unfulfilled of the much clearer revelation that International Version of the Bible. aspects of Old Testament prophecy into the future, linked with the rap ture, rebuilding of the temple, and an earthly millennium. To make it work, dispensationalism even brings back Pre-Advent judgment and the little horn. While the evil animal sacrifice during the 1,000 continued from page 29 tyrant suffers extinction, God's peo years. I believe there is a better way of ple experience His saving justice and being faithful to Scripture and to our and man faithfully. In the pre- receive eternal life. Lord. Advent judgment these unjust Moreover, through this judgment This is far more than you bar sentences by earthly courts will be process God Himself is vindicated gained for, Dale. By God's grace, good reversed by the courts of heaven. In before the universe. At the second may come of it. May the Lord bless this way God will vindicate his advent of Jesus, when rewards are and guide you in your work. saints."8 bestowed, those who have main Sincerely, Alden Thompson, Beyond the vindication of the tained a living relationship with their School of Theology, Walla Walla saints and the condemnation of the Savior and whose names remain College, College Place Washington little horn, the pre-Advent judgment inscribed in the book of life become 99324 m also vindicates God's justice in His partakers of the eternal kingdom, m dealings with humanity. When the 1 Reissued in 2003- George Knight, ed.. Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine: Annotated Edition Edited with notes and a his unfallen beings in the universe exam 1 For other examples of investigative judgments m the Old Testament, torical introduction (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University see William H. Shea, Selected Studies on Prophetic Interpretation, revised Press, 2003). ine the records of the saints during edition, DARCOM. (Silver Spring, Md/ Biblical Research Institute, 2 All Ratzlaff's titles are published by his Life Assurance Ministries, the pre-Advent judgment, they will 1992), 1-29, Enc Livmgston, "Investigative Judgment: A Scriptural Glendale, Ariz. Further information on the Web at
38 MINISTRY February 2004 it I pliSCU a.i
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